Why BYU Football’s Special Teams Are Living Up To Their Name

PROVO, Utah – With just three seconds left on the clock, Rice-Eccles Stadium roared as BYU kicker Will Ferrin prepared for a 44-yard field goal.

The tension was thick, the crowd loud as ever, but Ferrin stayed focused in last year’s rivalry matchup.

no shine without the grind pic.twitter.com/mtFq70aWC2

— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) August 6, 2025

Ferrin’s kick sailed through the uprights, delivering BYU a dramatic 22–21 victory in the heated in-state rivalry game.

Out of BYU’s 22 points that night, all but six came from special teams.

That clutch moment was only one of many times last season when the Cougars’ special teams unit performed pressure-packed plays. Often overlooked, this group proved to be one of BYU’s most consistent and game-changing weapons.

Since BYU joined the Big 12 Conference in 2023, the special teams have been a strength of the Cougars.

Special Teams have been “special” for BYU in the Big 12 era

Ryan Rehkow, who was an All-Big 12 punter two seasons ago for BYU, moved on to the NFL and now holds the Cincinnati Bengals’ franchise record with an 80-yard punt.

Rehkow is a perfect example of how BYU’s special teams continue to develop and produce high-level talent. While fans tend to focus on quarterbacks, receivers, or defensive stars, BYU’s special teams is an undeniable presence on the field.

Last season, special teams accounted for 39% of BYU’s total points.

BYU’s coaching staff utilized special teams to flip momentum and turn difficult situations into wins in a year that resulted in an 11-2 record.

In the Alamo Bowl against Colorado, a perfectly executed onside kick kept the Cougars in control after a quick 10-0 lead.

Against Baylor in Waco last September, punter Sam Vander Haar pulled off a scrappy fake punt on 4th and 10, setting up a field goal that extended BYU’s lead.

At UCF, Vander Haar and Ferrin worked together for a perfectly disguised trick play where Vander Haar, lined up as the holder for a field goal, then slipped the ball between his legs to Ferrin, who ran eight yards for a first down.

If you think that was exciting, add in two kickoff return touchdowns and two punt return scores, and it’s no wonder the Cougars’ special teams unit racked up 144 points in 2024 alone. Phil Steele ranked BYU’s special teams as the best position group on the entire team.

Looking at the 2025 special teams unit

Looking forward to the 2025 season, BYU is positioned to keep that momentum going.

BYU returns Will Ferrin at placekicker and kickoffs. Sam Vander Haar is back in his second season at punter after transferring in from Pitt. The explosive return man Parker Kingston is also back again.

Phil Steele’s preseason First Team All-Big 12 selections for the 2025 season included Ferrin, Vander Haar, Kingston, and long snapper Garrison Grimes.

Grimes is a transfer from Baylor who was the primary long snapper for the Bears and appeared in 31 games. He’s the son of former BYU offensive coordinator and current Wisconsin offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes.

Ferrin entered the season as the top-ranked kicker in the Big 12 and tied for fourth nationally, with an impressive 88.9% field goal percentage. While Ferrin may be the one getting the ball through the uprights, it’s hard to ignore the unit around him.

The precision of the snap, the execution of the hold, and the blocking that allows him to deliver in dire situations.

What makes BYU’s special teams truly unique is not just their consistency, but their creativity. This unit thrives on being unpredictable.

In a league as competitive as the Big 12, the ability to swing momentum with a perfectly timed trick play or game-changing return could prove to be the Cougars’ ultimate hidden gem.

This group also plays with a resilience that reflects its coaching. When Parker Kingston fumbled a punt in what looked like a huge mistake, he scooped the ball back up, broke through defenders, and turned it into a viral touchdown return.

Afterward, BYU Special Teams Coordinator Kelly Poppinga admitted he went from wanting to “kill” Kingston for dropping the ball to calling it “the greatest play ever.”

Moments like that make BYU’s special teams unit so dangerous that even when things seem to fall apart, they find a way to turn it into success.

Special teams may not always get the attention they deserve, but for BYU, they’ve become a defining strength. They’re not just fulfilling expectations, but exceeding them, which demands the attention they deserve.

BYU’s ability to execute in pressure-packed moments, to innovate, and to stay mentally locked in makes this special group one of the most vital parts of the team. Without their production last season, BYU football would not have been the same.

The Cougars’ special teams aren’t just special by name, but they’re special by impact.

Jasmine Poppinga is a BYU Football Intern during the 2025 season for KSL NewsRadio and KSL Sports. Poppinga contributes to ESPN+ broadcasts for BYU women’s sports. Follow her on Instagram: @jasminepoppinga.