Illinois State kicker Michael Cosentino (80) made two field goals during Saturday’s spring scrimmage, including a 25-yarder to send the game into overtime. (Photo by Barry Bottino, PrairieStatePigskin.com)
By Barry Bottino
NORMAL – Weekdays this spring began for Michael Cosentino at 6 a.m. more than 150 miles away from Illinois State University.
The Redbirds’ kicker was not on campus for most of the team’s spring practices because he’s been busy student teaching.
“I leave for school at 6 a.m. I’m also coaching baseball. I get done around 6:30 p.m., then I go to the gym,” Cosentino said. “It was a little challenging in the beginning, but I thought it worked out pretty well.”
On Saturdays, Cosentino would drive from his family’s home in Glenview to ISU to take part in practices, a unique arrangement for the fifth-year senior.
Last Saturday, he made field goals of 25 and 34 yards in the annual spring scrimmage.
“I wasn’t planning on doing a fifth year,” said Cosentino, who worked out a plan with ISU head coach Brock Spack to return as the starting kicker. “We made a deal that I would come down on Saturdays for practices. It was weird transitioning from college football to what is a full-time job.”
Long days in school
From January to March, Cosentino was teaching physical education at Lake Forest High School. Until May 1, he’s teaching at Seth Paine Elementary in Lake Zurich, a K-5 school.
After his workday, he’s part of the baseball coaching staff at Mundelein High School.
“It’s been a lot of long days,” he said. “I’m teaching while I still have football in the back of my mind.”
Illinois State’s strength coaches have made his weekday schedule easier, sending detailed workout plans for the evening.
And as for kicking?
“I’ve been able to get in a couple kicks a week at my old high school (Glenbrook North),” he said. “One thing I noticed as I get older is that less is more. I’ve been kicking for years. I know the technique. I’ve worked harder in the weight room to get stronger and faster than I have on technique. That’s helped me a lot this past year.”
A school celebrity
After helping Illinois State make the national championship game with three field goals in a national semifinal win against Villanova, Cosentino became well known at school.
“At Lake Forest, they found out pretty quickly,” he said. “It was cool. A lot of them watched the (national title) game and said, ‘That was you out there.’ I gained some respect for that. They looked up to me, which was awesome.”
Highs and lows
Cosentino’s time at ISU began as a freshman walk-on who tried out for the team. He spent the early part of his career as the third-string kicker.
That was a far cry from being chosen to kick in a national semifinal when previous starting kicker Matt Maldonado struggled.
Before last season, he lost a competition to Maldonado for the job.
“When I lost the job, I was upset,” he said. “But I always stayed ready in case something happened. I got thrown into the national semifinal game, which I never thought would happen. I’m happy that I was ready.”
In ISU’s dramatic 35-34 overtime loss to Montana State for the national title, Cosentino had a field goal late in regulation and an extra point in overtime both blocked by Montana State. After the game, Spack described the blocks as “a ball-handling issue” in the field goal process.
“It was going from the highest point to the lowest point,” Cosentino said. “It’s been a learning experience. But that’s life. The best way I can explain it is like having a bad day at work and a good day at work.
“As a kicker, mentality is really important,” he said. “If you think about the past and what went wrong, that’s only going to hurt you in the future.”
Looking ahead
After completing his student teaching gig, Cosentino will focus on getting a health endorsement this fall at Illinois State to strengthen his resume.
He will graduate in December and begin looking for a job as a teacher and coach.
“It will be either on the middle school or high school level,” he said. “I’d like to coach football, baseball or basketball. I was a pretty athletic kid growing up, and I played all of those sports.”
In the meantime, he will focus on getting Illinois State back to the FCS playoffs.
“This is going to be the first time I’m the starter (to begin a season),” he said. “I’m excited to help out my team in any way. I’m excited to win some games and make it far in the postseason again.”
Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and a 19-year veteran of three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.
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