David Lang Earns PFL Honor

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. -- Butler placekicker David Lang, who nailed a game-winning field goal with less than two minutes remaining at Dayton, has been named Pioneer Football League Special Teams Player of the Week.  It’s the second time this season that the Butler senior has earned the PFL’s weekly honor.

Lang connected on a 35-yard field goal with just 1:31 left in the game to lift Butler to a 29-27 victory over the defending PFL co-champion Flyers.  The game-winner was Lang’s second 35-yard field goal in the final 7:52 of the contest, and the two kicks helped Butler overcome a 27-23 deficit.  The Butler win snapped Dayton’s 11-game PFL winning streak.

“We called the fourth quarter differently knowing that David was on the sidelines,” said Butler head coach Jeff Voris.  “When we got in field goal range, we felt like we had points on the board.  Our guys have done a really good job of protecting it, and we’ve done a really good job with the snap, hold and kick.”

“The big thing is whether its an extra point in the first quarter or a last-second field goal, David has the same approach and the same swing,” continued Voris.  “He’ just been really consistent on how he handles the mechanics of the situation.”

Lang kicked a career-long, 46-yard field goal in the first quarter to help Butler to an early 10-0 lead over the Flyers.  It was the third time in his Butler career that he kicked three field goals in a game.  He also had a pair of PAT kicks in the game, and he finished the contest with 11 points.   

Earlier this season, Lang was named PFL Special Teams Player of the Week after kicking a pair of field goals and four extra points in Butler’s non-league game at Indiana State.  He’s been successful on seven of nine (.778) field goal attempts in Butler’s first five games, and he’s connected on 14 of 16 (.875) PAT kicks.  He’s boosted his career total for field goals to 28, six shy of the Butler school record held by John Jenkins (1985-88).

Butler will continue PFL play on Saturday, Oct. 8, with a visit to Campbell.  The game at Barker-Lane Stadium in Buies Creek, N.C., will start at noon (ET).