Kosei Okuno, the victim in the illegal tackle scandal which rocked Japan in May, made history for himself on Sunday.
The Kwansei Gakuin University sophomore quarterback completed 12 of 15 passes for 149 yards to guide the Fighters to a 37-20 triumph over the Waseda University Big Bears in the Koshien Bowl, Japan's American football collegiate national championship game.
Playing before a crowd of 34,000 at Koshien Stadium, Okuno was named the game's MVP and won the Chuck Mills Trophy, given to the best college football player of the year. He became the first sophomore to win the award for Kwansei, which clinched its 29th title.