Central Valley grad Ryan Rehkow soaks in experience of Big 12 media days as member of BYU

ARLINGTON, Texas – More than a week ago, BYU made its first appearance at the Big 12 Conference Football Media Days after officially joining the conference months earlier. One member of the Cougars’ traveling contingent was junior punter Ryan Rehkow from Spokane Valley.

Rehkow, who at 6-foot-6, 235 pounds isn’t built like an average punter, was taking in the entire experience at AT&T Stadium, a venue which has hosted a Super Bowl, the NCAA national championship and is home to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.

“This is my first time at this stadium. You walk in and you’re like, ‘Holy cow, there have been some great games and great players to play on this field,’ ” said Rehkow, who averaged 46.2 yards per punt last season with a season-long of 71. “It’s crazy to take it all in.”

During the player breakout session with media, Rehkow’s close friend and former roommate, junior defensive end Tyler Batty, was sitting to his left, not long after they’d engaged in some good-natured ribbing about who is taller.

“I’m listed at 6-6. He’s listed at 6-5,” Rehkow said. “He’s probably (actually) a little taller, but you can’t argue with what the program says. I always remind him of that.”

Batty offered his own take: “Don’t let Ryan fool you. I heard his comments about BYU mismeasuring us. Put us back-to-back and you’ll see the truth. … Ryan’s amazing. He and I came in together. He’s an awesome teammate, the hardest worker you’ll find. He’s a great guy, a great friend. It’s just been a pleasure being at BYU together.

“We lived together for a year and a half, two years. COVID happened and it was just us in town, so we were training together, lived together for another year. Our first snap on a college field was together. I was on the shield and he was punting in 2020 versus Navy. It’s been a cool journey to spend together.”

At Central Valley High School, Rehkow was also a kicker, carrying on a recent family tradition of kicking and punting. Older brother Austin kicked at Idaho and more recently in the NFL and XFL. It’s a path Ryan said he never really saw himself traveling.

“If you would have told us 10 to 15 years ago we were going to be punters and kickers, we probably would have laughed and asked why?” Rehkow said. “We couldn’t have been anything else? I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else. It’s gotten us to school, paid for college and, hopefully, it’ll take us even more places in the future. It’s definitely a unique route. We take pride in that.”

Now that younger brother Landon, also a punter/kicker, is a BYU true freshman, there are two Rehkows on the Cougars’ roster, a welcome change for Ryan.

“It’s definitely a change for sure, but I love having him there,” Rehkow said. “My first three years, football was the place I’d go to feel like I’m away from everything. But now it’s like, ‘What the heck?’ Landon’s here, but it’s awesome. Definitely a change, but we love it. He got here in August 2022. He was grayshirting last year, getting the weight back on, getting ready.”

Now seeing Landon every day gives Ryan a daily reminder of how blessed they both are to come from the Spokane Valley, an area known for consistently producing great athletes at both the collegiate and professional level.

“It’s cool,” Rehkow said. … “To be able to go back home and remember this is where we grew up, this is where we all learned our crafts and developed our love for the game, when you see those other guys going out and doing good things, you can’t help but be proud. You wish nothing but the best for the guys from your hometown. When you get to go up against them, it’s even more fun.”

Rehkow also said it’s good to play a position which is known for having its share of interesting personalities.

“Punters are a bit of a different breed, but we want to fit in as well,” he said. “We want to hit the weights and work out just as hard (as everyone else), but at the end of the day our job is very different from a quarterback or linebacker. You stick together, specialists as punters. When you’re warming up pregame, you go over and talk to the other guys to see how things are going. It’s a cool unity to have.”

Punters are no different from other athletes in that they all aspire to reach that “flow state” in which everything about their craft is properly aligned and all they can do is execute.

“It’s like if you play golf and hit a pure shot,” Rehkow said. “It’s like, ‘Wow, that just felt good.’ Punting is the same way. When you hit the sweet spot on the ball and see that thing soaring, it’s like, ‘OK, I can launch these things pretty far.’ That’s a good weapon to have.”

On Sept. 18, 2021, Rehkow had a school-record 83-yard punt in a 27-17 win against No. 19 Arizona State.

“That was one punt where you look back and you’re like, ‘Wow, the stars aligned,’ he said. “We had a good open field and made great contact. It’s definitely cool to have that honor, but I want to be known for the consistency and the average as well.”

Stephen Hunt is a freelance writer based in Frisco, Texas.