ST. LOUIS – Illinois State punter Hayden Futch had a career day against Western Illinois, and for his efforts he was named the Missouri Valley Football Conference Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday by the league office.
Futch tallied career numbers for Illinois State in its 51-34 win over in-state rival Western Illinois on Saturday. The Valdosta, Georgia, native averaged a career-best 54 yards per punt on four attempts in the win against the Leathernecks and pinned WIU inside its own 20 yard line twice.
His first punt of the day was his longest at 63 yards (also a career long) and he followed that with one for 56 yards that was fair caught by the WIU returner.