Western Illinois kicker Ronan Culkin is 5-for-5 on field goals this season, including three made kicks last weekend against FBS Wisconsin. (Photo by GoLeathernecks.com)
By Dan Verdun and Barry Bottino
Western Illinois kicker Ronan Culkin’s wait has paid big dividends for the Leathernecks.
Coming into this season, the junior had only previously kicked off three times in 2024. Last year, he backed up Antonio Chadha, who left WIU for FBS Pittsburgh via the transfer portal.
“I’m really proud of Ronan. He’s bided his time here for two years,” WIU head coach Joe Davis said.
Culkin credited Chadha, who nailed a 58-yard field goal in his first game for Pittsburgh.
“Antonio was a really good mentor for me. I really watched his routine throughout the week,” Culkin said. “I still talk to him about once a week.”
Through three games, Culkin is 5-for-5 on field goal attempts. He is 9-for-10 on point-after kicks. In addition, the Brother Rice graduate is averaging 64.2 yards per kickoff with seven touchbacks.
Despite not playing much in previous seasons, Culkin said he never thought about leaving Macomb.
“This is my third year here, and I’ve always felt a part of the team,” he said. “Western has been good to me, so I figured why would I leave when the coaches trust me and we have a great special teams room.”
Culkin was also quick to point out that the successful kicks aren’t a one-man show.
“It just comes down to going out there and trusting the operation with Ben (Begfeld) snapping and Luke (Droegemueller) holding,” Culkin said. “We’ve been working together for awhile. I trust them, and we go out there and get the job done.”
Listed at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, Culkin said he has also worked hard with his strength and conditioning.
“The weight room is a big emphasis for me. Right now, the big emphasis is more movement-wise but spring and summer was adding muscle,” he said.
“I expect big things for Ronan,” Davis said. “This adds to his confidence and we’re certainly going to need him in a big way these last couple months.”
Kickoff: 6 p.m.; TV: ESPN-Plus; Radio: Q981fm.com
Key matchup to watch
MSU quarterback David Parsons vs. WIU secondary: The Leathernecks’ cornerbacks have been tested this season. They face another challenge in Parsons, who leads the Pioneer Football League with 10 touchdown passes.
What’s at stake?
A victory would halt Western’s two-game losing streak.
Quick hits
QB Kennedy McGill got his first start of the season last weekend at Wisconsin. However, Davis said the Leathernecks will continue to use both McGill and Cason Carswell. “It’s week to week,” he said. “Kennedy has earned the right (to start). We were looking for a little bit of a spark to start the game off. He gave that to us. We’ve got two great quarterbacks competing and we’re going to need them both in a big way throughout the season.” McGill has passed for 456 yards and two touchdowns while completing nearly 69% of his passes. Carswell, who was 2-for-2 for 9 yards passing against Wisconsin, has completed 57% of his passes for 173 yards. Both have played in all three games. … The run game has received a boost from McGill, who helped WIU average four yards a carry against the Badgers. He leads the team with 209 rushing yards, three TDs on the ground and 68 yards per game. “Our willingness to run the quarterback was certainly an advantage,” Davis said. “We’ve got lots to build on in the run game from Saturday.” Running backs Ihson Jackson-Anderson (85 yards, TD), Avery Knight (82 yards, TD) and Josh Robinson (72 yards) have all contributed in the WIU backfield rotation. Robinson also leads the team with 10 receptions. … Transfer wide receiver Jacob Kania ranks second on the team in receptions (nine) and receiving yards (121). His 45-yard reception against Wisconsin is the third-longest pass play for WIU this season. “Jacob is one of the fastest kids on our team,” Davis said. “He’s learned the offense very fast. He’s been a little nicked up with some injuries that probably prevented an increased snap count for him.” … Western leads the Ohio Valley Conference in both total offense (385.3 yards a game) and total defense (355.3). … Saturday’s game will serve as the 50-year reunion for the 1976 WIU team. That season, the Leathernecks finished 7-3 under head coach Bill Shanahan, including a 7-1 start.
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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