BYU Punter Ryan Rehkow Earns Big 12 Player Of The Week

Sep 4, 2023, 11:30 AM

KSL Sports

PROVO, Utah – BYU football had a 14-0 opening week win over Sam Houston. One of the star performers for BYU in the win was their punter, Ryan Rehkow.

Rehkow’s performance in the victory against the Bearkats earned him BYU’s first-ever weekly recognition from the Big 12 Conference.

#BYU punter Ryan Rehkow named Week 1 Big 12 Co-Special Teams Player of the Week.

First Big 12 football honor for a #BYU player in their Big 12 era.#BYUFootball #Big12

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) September 4, 2023

Ryan Rehkow earned Big 12 Co-Special Teams Player of the Week

On Monday, Rehkow was named the Co-Special Teams Player of the Week. He shared the recognition with Oklahoma return specialist Gavin Freeman, who returned a punt for a touchdown in OU’s lopsided 73-0 win over Arkansas State.

Rehkow was called into duty often during BYU’s game against Sam Houston due to the offense coming to a complete halt. The fourth-year player from Veradale, Washington, had nine punts and averaged 53.2 yards on each punt. He had a long of 65 yards, and four of his nine punts were inside the 20-yard line.

BYU football needed Rehkow’s leg in the Sam Houston win

BYU head coach Kalani Sitake acknowledged the “high level” of play that Rehkow displayed in the postgame on Saturday night.

“I don’t want him punting that many times in a game. So that would be the goal, when he comes on the field, let’s kick PATs,” Sitake said with a chuckle.

At Big 12 Media Days, Rehkow was the lone specialist that a team brought to AT&T Stadium. He has punted 117 times in his BYU career with an average of 47.3 yards per punt.

Emory Jones and Jeremiah Cooper round out the weekly awards

The other Big 12 players of the week were Cincinnati quarterback Emory Jones, who accounted for seven total touchdowns, three more than any other player in the league in the Bearcats win over Eastern Kentucky.

Big-time performances from our #Big12FB week 1⃣ award winners.

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) September 4, 2023

Jones transferred to Cincinnati from Arizona State. Before a year in Tempe, he was previously a starter for the Florida Gators.

On the defensive side, Iowa State’s Jeremiah Cooper claimed player of the week with two interceptions in a win over Northern Iowa, the first two of his career.

For more in-depth Big 12 football conversation, listen to KSL Sports’ new Big 12 football show, “First & 12.” It airs Sundays on KSL NewsRadio and the KSL Sports Zone at 10 a.m. (MDT), and is also available on podcasts.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X (Twitter) and Threads: @Mitch_Harper.