It seems like there is a common theme for so many in the state of Utah as the end of March nears:

Hey, winter … enough already!

There are some exceptions (such as those who love how the storms will help alleviate a little of the long-term drought) but BYU head football coach Kalani Sitake isn’t one of them.

The Cougars were planning to hold a spring scrimmage at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday but the most recent round of snow made that impossible.

“I obviously wish we could have been in the stadium,” Sitake said in a press teleconference after Saturday’s practice. “The weather didn’t allow us to do that. We just want to get outside and get in the sunlight. This is winter ball right now. We’re trying to get to spring ball. Let’s start praying for some good weather now.”

He said BYU has only been able to get outside once and that was on the turf, so there has been no work on grass at all this year.

“It just feels better when you’re on grass and playing the game,” Sitake said.

Fortunately the Cougars have the indoor practice facility and that has allowed BYU to still be extremely productive.

There is one individual, however, who Sitake said has been impacted more than others.

“The one who is most disadvantaged is probably (junior Ryan Rehkow) because he is a great punter,” Sitake said. “The indoor facility is really big so most punters like being in there because they won’t hit the ceiling. But Rehkow’s punts hit the ceiling.”

Sitake said he wants to get outside to work on punt coverage and he doesn’t want Rehkow worrying about hitting the ceiling.

“I want him to be able to kick normal,” Sitake said.

BYU junior wide receiver/punt returner Hobbs Nyberg, however, has a slightly different take on it.

When asked what it is like to try and field a punt that might hit the ceiling, Nyberg said: “I actually like it a lot because it gets me prepped for the games. It’s a lot harder to track the ball with the lights in there. Sometimes it is coming down and it is sitting right in the light.”

He grinned as he talked about just how high Rehkow can boom those kicks.

“He’s got a really good leg,” Nyberg said. “When he really gets into it, he’ll boot it off the ceiling a lot. It makes it rough to get a good look though.”

Punting and punt returning can be pivotal, game-changing moments although they only come around a few times per game.

In 38 games in three years, Rehkow has punted 108 times (2.8 per game) while in 35 games in three years, Nyberg has 42 punt returns (not including fair catches).

Still, Nyberg said BYU and special teams coordinator Kelly Poppinga are focusing on making the most of every opportunity.

“He (Poppinga) has put a really good emphasis on the fact that we need to be a game-changer when our punt return team goes out there,” Nyberg said. “He wants us to be one of the top punt-return teams in the country next year. He’s setting up some good schemes to help us to get there.”

Nyberg said he embraces both the pressure and trying to make a difference for his team.

“I love it,” Nyberg said. “That’s kind of my role right now. I’m just trying to help in the best way I can. I take pride in first giving the offense the ball (not turning it over). But anytime there’s a chance to return, I just try to do what I can with it. That can set up the offense with some good momentum, to get them on the way to scoring.”

That work might have to continue being done inside during spring camp, although Sitake is optimistic that the Cougars might get a chance to get outside this week.

“I think the first time we’re going to be in the stadium is probably going to be next Friday,” Sitake said. “We’ll be excited for it. Hopefully the weather allows us to do some things. If not, then we’ll have a great summer with a bunch of water and nice green lawns.”

Nate Edwards, BYU Photo

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