Rehkow named to Ray Guy watch list for a second year

AUGUSTA, Georgia — The Augusta Sports Council today announced BYU punter Ryan Rehkow has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2022 Ray Guy Award, which honors the nation’s top collegiate punter. 

The 2022 watch list, consisting of 49 punters, was compiled based on the 2021 Ray Guy Award Semifinalist List and other various lists from the 2021 season such as the top ten NCAA punters, the All-American teams, All-conference teams as well as the 2022 preseason All-conference teams. 

Rehkow, a 6-foot-6, 235-pound sophomore from Veradale, Washington finished the 2021 season ranked No. 5 in the nation, with a punting average of 48.58, the highest average by any freshman in the nation. Rehkow was a Ray’s 8 honoree in week five of the season and placed on the Ray Guy 2021 watch list following his performance at Utah State on Oct. 1.

In 2021, Rehkow played in all 13 games for No. 19 ranked BYU as punter and field goals/PATs holder. He placed 16 of 40 punts inside the 20-yard line and set a new BYU record with an 83-yard punt in a win over then No. 19 ASU.

Pro Football Network named Rehkow the 2021 All-Independent Punter of the Year and to the PFN All-Independent First Team. He was also named Phil Steele All-Independent First Team. As a finance major with a 3.78 GPA, Rehkow was also named CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 First Team in 2021.

The Augusta Sports Council created the Ray Guy Award in 2000 to honor 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 on net punting average. The winner must display team leadership, self-discipline and have a positive impact on the team’s success.

In mid-November, the Ray Guy Award committee will meet to select the ten semifinalists, who will be announced on Nov. 8. A national body of information directors, media representatives and previous Ray Guy Award winners will then vote for the top three finalists to be announced on Nov. 18. 

The winner of the 2022 Ray Guy Award will be announced live during The Home Depot College Football Awards show airing live on ESPN Dec. 8.