BYU football: Bronco getting a kick out of his punter

PROVO — BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall couldn't be happier with the performance of freshman punter Riley Stephenson and the rest of the punt team.

The Cougars rank No. 5 nationally in net punting, with a net average of 40.25 per attempt. BYU is averaging 42.38 yards per punt and on the season it has allowed six punt returns for a total of 11 yards.

The Cougars have punted only 24 times this season. Only one team, Arizona (21), has punted fewer times than BYU.

"They've played exceptional," Mendenhall said of the punt team. "That part is one of the strongest parts of our team. We don't punt very often, but when we do it's a great change of field position."

Stephenson, a true freshman from St. George, has been confident and consistent this season, Mendenhall said.

"Riley has punted under some pretty difficult circumstances and it doesn't faze him at all. In fact, the coaches wonder if he has a pulse sometimes. We never see him high or low. You never really know what he's thinking. He'd be a great card player. As a true freshman that can punt the ball like he's doing, what a bonus. We didn't expect it would be this good."

e-mail: jeffc@desnews.com