Indiana Kicker Logan Justus Channels His Inner Billy Chapel During Clutch Field Goal

Logan Justus just focuses on his job to get IU the win Image: Sammy Jacobs Hoosier Huddle

Written by Sammy Jacobs

Billy Chapel is a fictional character played by Kevin Costner in the movie For Love of the Game, who is pitching his final game for the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium. Before Chapel throws a pitch, he whispers to himself “clear the mechanism” and everything but the catcher, batter and umpire dissolve into the background. The same happens for Indiana kicker Logan Justus when he lines up for field goals.

“Nothing” is what went through Justus’s head on Saturday afternoon as he lined up to try and give the Hoosiers a lead. It’s just him, the goal post, his team and the ball. All he has to do is his job and on Saturday he did. Justus nailed the 42-yard field goal to send the Hoosiers to a 34-32 win.

Like a pitcher in baseball Justus has to trust his teammates to do their job so he can do his. Luckily for him, he has two of the best specialists in long snapper Dan Godsil and holder Drew Conrad to make it easy. Godsil is a Phil Steele All-American and Conrad has been featured on social media for his holding skills.

Justus described the feeling he has knowing those two are there. “It’s an amazing feeling. I have no worries. I don’t have to worry about anything but myself. I trust them a lot.”

While Justus didn’t pitch a perfect game, he had his moment in the sun as his kick gave IU the lead for good. Justus has been really good this season going 13-of-15 on field goals and 27-of-28 on extra points in 2018. His consistent performance has earned him a spot as a Lou Groza Award semi-finalist. That award goes to the best place kicker in the nation. After the game Indiana head coach Tom Allen said of his kicker, “great job by Logan Justus. He's been clutch all year.”