Kucek is set to punt for Gophers in bowl

mugs for Justin Kucek, Luke Tressel and Allen Billyk
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- There is a Youngstown-area connection to the University of Minnesota football team which will play the University of Virginia in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl football game Friday at The Coliseum in Nashville, Tenn.
Justin Kucek, a 2004 graduate of Canfield High, is a starting freshman punter for Minnesota (7-4), which will be defending its Music City Bowl championship against Virginia (6-5) at noon on ESPN.
Kucek, who was a redshirt last season and wears No. 42, is the only starting freshman punter in the Big Ten Conference.
The son of Jack and Janice Kucek, Justin became the Gophers' regular after being a scholar-athlete award winner in 2004 and enjoying an outstanding spring practice this year to succeed Rhys Lloyd.
Ranks No. 8 in Big Ten
Kucek is averaging 39.6 yards per punt in 33 kicks to rank No. 8 in the Big Ten. His longest punt was 55 yards and his 33 kicks are the fewest number in the Big Ten.
Kucek ranks just a half-yard behind Ohio State's A.J. Trapasso, who is averaging 40.4 on 42 kicks.
The Big Ten punting leader is sophomore Ken DeBauche of Wisconsin with a 44.8-yard average.
Junior Tyson Beattie of Indiana has the most punts in the Big Ten with 75, and ranks No. 3 in average with 41.6.
While punting at Canfield High under coach Mike Pavlansky, Kucek averaged 42.3 yards as a senior on 27 kicks and made the all-state second team.
He was named Canfield's Special Teams Most Valuable Player as a sophomore, junior and senior.
Tressel's nephew on staff
Minnesota also has an indirect Youngstown-area connection. Luke Tressel, the nephew of former Youngstown State coach and now Ohio State mentor Jim Tressel, is in his first season as the Gophers' wide receivers coach.
Luke is the son of Dick Tressel, who is the running backs coach at Ohio State.
Luke was an outstanding cornerback for Hamline University before graduating in 2001, and earned his master's degree in kinesiology from Minnesota in 2003.
Last year, Luke was the Gophers' assistant strength and conditioning coach, after serving as a graduate assistant during the 2002 and 2003 seasons, coaching wide receivers and quarterbacks.
Minnesota will be playing in its fourth straight bowl game for the first time in school history, and their sixth in the past seven years under ninth-year coach Glen Mason.
The Gophers have won their last three bowl games, including last year's 20-16 win over Alabama in the Music City Bowl.
This will be the eighth Music City Bowl and the fourth time that a Big Ten team will be playing in the game.
Billyk with Virginia
There also is a Youngstown-area connection to the Virginia team. Allen Billyk, a graduate of New Castle High, is a sophomore defensive end for the Cavaliers.
Billyk, who is a backup to Chris Long and wears No. 91, has played in nine games and has three tackles.
Last year as a redshirt freshman, Billyk played in six games and made two tackles, including a sack against Akron for the first tackle of his collegiate career.
The son of Christine and Larry Billyk, Allen was redshirted in 2003 and did not see any playing time.
While at New Castle, Billyk was a four-year starter on both offense and defense for coach Gary Schooley, playing defensive end, guard and tight end.
Billyk made the Associated Press Big Schools All-State First Team and was rated the No. 27 strong-side defensive end in the nation by Rivals.com.
kovach@vindy.com