It is not every day you see a punter put up an MVP performance, but Blake Hayes was one of the best pieces for Illinois during the season opener.

Hayes has already been an impressive special teams player during his career. He is also a key leader for Illinois, being named a captain for the 2021 season earlier this month.

In the season opener against Nebraska, Hayes was nearly perfect in his punts. One of his punts even led to a safety:

For the afternoon, Hayes punted 6 times with 4 of them remarkably getting downed inside the 20-yard line. His total yardage for the afternoon came in at 272 yards with a long of 59 yards.

He was a difference-maker Saturday, and Hayes’ leg could prove to be a valuable weapon for the Illini throughout 2021: