Koehn kicks the winner, avoids dog pile

IOWA CITY - Marshall Koehn didn't have a plan. What kind of megalomaniac has a plan for how to celebrate a game-winning 57-yard field goal?

Koehn is a former walk-on from Solon who only was put on scholarship this last summer. When he won the job in 2014, he missed three of his first five field goal attempts and nearly handed the job over to a true freshman. Koehn didn't glide into Kinnick Stadium with a helmet made out of silver spoons.

Koehn didn't put himself into position to kick the game-winnning 57-yard field goal on the final play to lift Iowa over Pitt, 27-24, by being a dreamer. OK, they all dream just a little.

Just last week, the senior watched on Facebook Daniel Murray's 31-yard field goal that beat No. 3 Penn State in 2008.

'I shared it on my own Facebook,” Koehn said. 'It was a great kick in Iowa history. Just watching that kick, it gives you goose bumps as a kicker. You just dream of moments like that. It was something I was kind of hoping I'd get a chance to do. Tonight happened to be the night.”

Koehn's 57-yarder tied a Kinnick Stadium record (Lee Pistor, Arizona, 1977) and fell 1 yard short of the Iowa record, set in 1998 by Tim Douglas at Illinois. He added a 43-yard field goal and went 3-for-3 on extra points with his first career punt, a 64-yard rugby-style kick that was downed at Pitt's 4-yard line.

Koehn was named the Big Ten's special teams player of the week Monday, Iowa's first such honor since wide receiver Kevonte Martin-Manley returned two punts for TDs against Western Michigan on Sept. 23, 2013. Koehn is the first Iowa kicker to win this honor since Mike Meyer was recognized following a 19-16 double overtime win at Michigan State in 2012.

Koehn has made seven straight field goal attempts over the last seven games, dating back to the Illinois game a year ago when his only miss bounced off the upright. He had made 15 of his last 16 field goal attempts and all 50 of his career PAT kicks

With a 52-yard kick in the 24-20 win at Pittsburgh in 2014, Koehn how has two of the longest nine field goals in Iowa history. It is the first walk-off field goal for Iowa football since Rob Houghtlin connected from 41 yards to win the 1986 Holiday Bowl.

So, now a Houghtlin reference has been summoned. It's sports, how can you not dream?

'It's definitely something you dream of,” said Koehn, a former prep wrestler and offshoot of the Zaleski wrestling family (nephew). 'You just go over it again and again and again in your head. It never happens, really. It's a once-in-a-lifetime. When it does happen and you do get the chance and you convert on it, it's pretty special.”

If you think kicking a game-winning walk-off 57-yard field goal in front of your home fans is a surreal experience, it is.

Koehn, had no plan. He said he couldn't hear anything. He was just running. He started toward the north end zone and then turned right and sprinted toward the south end zone. Teammates trailed behind and alongside. No one stopped him.

And then the party bus slammed into the cheerleaders in the south end zone. Leading the wave of players was defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson, a 6-4, 310-pound nose guard. He accidentally backed over a blonde cheerleader. A brunette cheerleader also was swallowed up in a wave of jerseys and helmets.

Don't worry, everyone was fine. Jenny Eustice, head coach of the Iowa dance team, tweeted Sunday night that no one was injured but their coach 'had a minor panic attack.”

Koehn's night was ever-so gilded that he didn't even end up in the pile. He kept his feet moving as teammates tripped on cheerleader after cheerleader, who fell like trees in an avalanche.

'I about knocked over every cheerleader, I'm pretty sure,” Koehn said. Koehn also reported that linebacker Bo Bower passed out at the bottom of the pile.

'There were so many guys in that pile,” Koehn said. 'I didn't even end up in the dog pile.”

Kick the game-winner, avoid the dog pile, that's when you know it's your night.

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com