AUGUSTA, Georgia — For the third time during the 2023 season, the Augusta Sports Council and the Ray Guy Award has named BYU punter Ryan Rehkow one of Ray’s 8 performers, this time for his play at West Virginia.
Rehkow, a junior from Veradale, Washington, had four punts for 181 yards versus the Mountaineers for an average of 45.3 yards per kick, including three downed inside the 20-yard line.
In early August, Rehkow was named to the Ray Guy Award watch list for the third consecutive year. He was also selected to the 2023 Phil Steele Preseason All-Big 12 Second Team after finishing last year with a punting average at 46.2.
Rehkow was named to Ray’s 8 list in week one of the season following BYU’s season opening 14-0 win over Sam Houston and was later selected as the Ray Guy Award National Punter of the Week the following day. In week two he was named to Ray’s 8 for a second time for his role in BYU’s 41-16 win over Southern Utah.
Through 10 weeks in 2023, Rehkow is currently third in the nation in punting averaging at 48.4 yards per kick. He is second in the NCAA in total punting yards at 2,517 and third in total punts with 54.
Others honored on the Ray’s 8 list for week 10 include Aidan Swanson, Clemson; Alex Mastromanno, Florida State; Austin McNamara, Texas Tech; Clayton Stewart, Wyoming; Porter Wilson, Duke; Ryan Eckley, Michigan State; Ryan Rehkow, BYU; and Tommy Doman, Michigan.
As a sophomore in 2022, Rehkow was named to the Associated Press All-Bowl Team and the College Football Network All-Independent First Team. A finance major, with a 3.74 GPA, Rehkow was also named CSC Academic All-District in 2023 and was selected CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 First Team in 2022. He graduated in April with a degree in finance from the BYU Marriott School of Management.
About the Ray Guy Award
The Augusta Sports Council created the Ray Guy Award in 2000 to honor Thomson, Georgia, native and College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Ray Guy. Among the statistics used to identify the winner is net punting average, number of times punt is downed or kicked out of bounds inside the opponents 20-yard line, total yardage punted, average returned yardage and percentage of punts not returned with particular emphasis placed on net punting average. The winner must display team leadership, self-discipline and have a positive impact on the team's success.
The Ray Guy Award committee will announce the 10 semifinalists for the annual award on Nov. 10. A national body of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) sports information directors, media representatives and previous Ray Guy Award winners will then vote for the top three finalists to be announced on Nov. 22. After the finalists are named, the voting body will cast ballots again to select the nation’s top punter.
The Ray Guy Award winner will be announced live during The Home Depot College Football Awards airing on ESPN in December 2023.