2022 Football Roster
Roster
Eckley, Ryan
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Jersey Number 96
Ryan Eckley
- Position:
- P
- Ht./Wt.:
- 6-2 / 195
- Class:
- Freshman
- Hometown:
- Lithia, Fla.
- High School:
- Newsome
Bio
Fourth-year player and two-year letterwinner has played in 25 career games for the Spartans (2022-04) . . . Ray Guy Award candidate . . . named a preseason All-American by the The Associated Press (second team), Walter Camp Football Foundation (second team), Phil Steele (third team) and Athlon Sports (fourth team) . . . named to the Senior Bowl Top 300 List . . . preseason All-Big Ten selection by Phil Steele (first team), USA TODAY (first team) and Athlon Sports (second team) . . . has a career punting average of 47.2 yards per punt (99 punts for 4,677 yards), which would rank No. 1 in school history (current record: Bryce Baringer, 46.0 avg.) . . . has booted 44 punts 50-plus yards (44 percent) . . . also has five career punts of 60-plus yards . . . 29 of his 99 punts have been inside the 20 (29 percent) and 17 inside the 10 (17 percent) . . . two-time All-Big Ten selection (second team in both 2023 and 2024) . . . graduated with his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in May 2025.
2024 SEASON (REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE): Led the Big Ten with his 47.9-yard punting average, which tied for the third longest in school history . . . that figure also would have ranked fourth in the FBS for punting, but didn’t meet the NCAA stat minimum . . . second-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches and third-team honoree by the media . . . also named an honorable mention All-American by Phil Steele . . . ranked second in the Big Ten with 20 punts of 50-plus yards . . . had six punts inside the 20 and two inside the 10 . . . opponents had nine fair catches . . . also primary holder on field goals and PATs . . . Academic All-Big Ten honoree . . . had three punts for 116 yards (38.7 avg.) in windy and snowy conditions at Spartan Stadium vs. Rutgers . . . punted five times for a 49.2 ypp average in Purdue game, knocking one 58 yards in the fourth quarter and adding a 53-yard punt for two punts of 50+ yards, and also held on two PATs and one field goal . . . had six punts for a 45.3 ypp average in the game at Illinois, with a long of 53 yards, along with pinning one inside the 20 and also recorded one tackle . . . had three punts all of 50+ yards for a 56.0 ypp average in Indiana game, which was one punt shy of qualifying for career-high, starting with a 54-yarder and 56-yarder in the second quarter, adding a 58-yarder in the fourth quarter, overcoming two blocked punts that count toward team punts . . . punted in the Michigan game on Oct. 25, marking first punt for the first time since Oct. 4 at Oregon after the Spartans’ bye week as MSU did not punt at all in MSU’s last game vs. Iowa, and ended with three punts for a 51.7 yards per punt average with all three going 50 or more yards . . . boomed a 51-yarder on his first punt of the game, early in the second quarter, and added a 54-yarder later in the second stanza and finished with a 50-yarder in the third quarter . . . did not attempt a punt in Iowa game, marking the first time that Michigan State did not punt in a game since Nov. 18, 1989, vs. Northwestern in a 76-14 win, and according to the Big Ten record book, it was only the 23rd time in a Big Ten Conference game for a team to not punt in a game . . . was also holder for all of Jonathan Kim’s school-record six field goals, which was most in B1G and FBS during the 2024 season and tied a modern-day B1G record . . . punted season-high tying six times at Oregon, booming a 55-yard punt on his first punt of the night in the first quarter, adding a 52-yarder in the third quarter, finishing with six punts for a 44.3 ypp average with the long of 55 and one inside the 20 . . . had three punts of 50+ yards against Ohio State with a 58-yarder in the fourth quarter, a 55-yarder in the third quarter and a 50-yarder in the fourth quarter, finishing night with five punts for a 46.6 ypp average . . . had two punts in steady rain at Boston College, booming a 50-yard punt on first punt of the night, and adding a 48-yarder later, to finish with 49.0 ypp average on two punts, and also was holder on four FGs and one PAT . . . punted just once against Prairie View A&M, but made it a good one, going 55 yards for ninth consecutive game with at least one 50-yard punt . . . boomed season-long 61-yard punt in the third quarter at Maryland, adding a 51-yarder in the fourth quarter . . . finished with three punts for a 51.3 ypp average against the Terrapins . . . had six punts for a 49.5 yards per punt average with a long of 58 yards in season opener vs. Florida Atlantic, along with pinning two inside the 20, with both going inside the 10, highlighted by his first punt of the season, a 40-yard punt that was downed at the FAU 1, setting up MSU’s safety on the Owls’ second play of the ensuing series for the Spartans’ first points of not just the game, but also of the 2024 season ... also had a 57-yarder in the fourth quarter that trickled into the end zone for a touchback after he also had a 47-yarder in the second quarter that was caught at the FAU 9 by the Owls’ returner, along with his game-high 58-yarder in the third quarter, adding a tackle on a return that was wiped out by a blocking penalty on FAU . . . also the holder for two PATs.
2023 SEASON (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN): Named a first-team Freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and The Athletic . . . second-team All-Big Ten pick by both the coaches and media . . . ranked second in the Big Ten and eighth in the FBS with his 46.8-yard punting average, which was the fifth-longest average in MSU single-season history . . . ranked second in the Big Ten in 50-plus yard punts (24) and fourth in punts inside the 20 (23) . . . also had four punts of 60-plus yards and 15 inside the 10-yard line . . . tabbed to the Ray Guy Award Midseason Watch List . . . ended the season on a strong note by pinning at least one punt inside the 20 in each of the last six games, including 15 punts inside the 20 in the last five games . . . named to the Academic All-District Team and the Academic All-Big Ten Team . . . saved one of his best performances for last, booming a season-high six punts for 50-plus yards in the regular-season finale vs. Penn State inside Ford Field for a 54.0-yard average, including two of 60-plus yards, highlighted by his final punt of the night going for 63 yards . . . also holder for PAT and FGs . . . punted four times for a 51.0 ypp average with a long of 56 yards at Indiana, with three punts going for 50-plus yards, along with three inside the 20, including two inside 10 . . . punted six times at Ohio State with a long of 58 yards, one of two of 50-plus, adding a 50-yarder in the second quarter, and had four inside the 20, tying career-high with three inside the 10, highlighted by one being downed at the OSU 2 in the second quarter, along with one being downed at the OSU 8 in the third quarter and a fair catch at the OSU 8 in the fourth quarter . . . named to the Ray Guy Award Ray’s 8 list for performance in the Nebraska game, with a career-high tying seven punts for a 48.3 ypp average . . . boomed five punts of 50-plus yards, highlighted by a game-long 57-yarder, adding two 53-yarders, along with one of 51 yards and one 50-yarder . . . also had two inside the 20, with both going inside the 10 . . . punted six times for a 42.7 ypp average at Minnesota, with a long of 54 and three inside the 20, including two inside the 10, with two punts of 50-plus yards, a 54-yarder and a 53-yarder on back-to-back punts in the first quarter . . . punted seven times in Michigan game for 46.9 ypp average with a long of 52 yards, with one inside the 20 and one touchback . . . punted twice at Rutgers for a 48.0 ypp average with a long of 49 yards . . . entered Iowa game with just one 50-yard punt at 52 yards and one inside the 10, and boomed three 50-plus yard punts, including two over 60 yards, and three at or inside the 10, including punting a then career-long 61-yard punt in the first quarter, pinning Iowa at the 3-yard line, and then added a 67-yarder in the fourth quarter, adding a 52-yarder in the third quarter . . . the 67-yarder was MSU’s longest punt since a 72-yarder by Bryce Baringer in the 2022 season-finale at Penn State (11/26/22) . . . was also holder on one PAT and three field goals, including Kinnick Stadium record 58-yarder by Jonathan Kim as time expired before halftime . . . boomed first 50-yard punt of career with a 52-yarder in the Washington game, part of four punts for a 38.5 ypp average, with two inside the 20, one inside the 10, yielding two returns for just 1 yard, with one fair catch and one downed, as well as holder for lone PAT of night . . . punted twice for a 39.5 ypp average and a long of 40 yards, with two inside the 20 in the Richmond game, including inducing a muffed return at the UR 19 that MSU recovered to set up the Spartans’ first score of the game . . . punted three times for a 43.0 ypp average in the season opener vs. Central Michigan.
2022 SEASON: Appeared in just one game to preserve his redshirt season . . . had a 41-yard punt in his collegiate debut vs. Akron in Week 2 in his only game action of the season.
HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Enrolled at Michigan State in January 2022 and competed in spring practice . . . three-year starting kicker and punter on varsity at Newsome High School in Lithia, Florida . . . named third-team all-state in Class 8A by FloridaHSFootball.com . . . first-team selection to the All-Western Conference – Federal Division . . . averaged 42.6 yards per punt as a senior in 2021, including 13 punts placed inside the 20 . . . had 28 punts overall for 1,193 yards in 11 games . . . averaged 55.6 yards on kickoffs as a senior, including 36 touchbacks on 51 kickoffs . . . scored a career-high 52 points his senior season (28-of-32 on PATS, 8-of-10 in field goals) . . . helped Newsome to an 8-3 record and a berth in the 8A state playoffs in 2021 . . . tallied 44 points as junior (29-of-30 PATs, 5-of-9 FGs) and 42 points as a sophomore (36-of-41 PATs, 2-of-4 FGs) . . . scored a total of 138 points during his high school career (93-of-103 PATs, 15-of-23 FGs) . . . averaged 39.8 yards per punt overall in high school (74 punts for 2,942 yards) . . . averaged 56.7 yards per kickoffs with 95 touchbacks on 163 kickoffs (58 percent) during his three years at Newsome . . . kinesiology major.
2024 SEASON (REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE): Led the Big Ten with his 47.9-yard punting average, which tied for the third longest in school history . . . that figure also would have ranked fourth in the FBS for punting, but didn’t meet the NCAA stat minimum . . . second-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches and third-team honoree by the media . . . also named an honorable mention All-American by Phil Steele . . . ranked second in the Big Ten with 20 punts of 50-plus yards . . . had six punts inside the 20 and two inside the 10 . . . opponents had nine fair catches . . . also primary holder on field goals and PATs . . . Academic All-Big Ten honoree . . . had three punts for 116 yards (38.7 avg.) in windy and snowy conditions at Spartan Stadium vs. Rutgers . . . punted five times for a 49.2 ypp average in Purdue game, knocking one 58 yards in the fourth quarter and adding a 53-yard punt for two punts of 50+ yards, and also held on two PATs and one field goal . . . had six punts for a 45.3 ypp average in the game at Illinois, with a long of 53 yards, along with pinning one inside the 20 and also recorded one tackle . . . had three punts all of 50+ yards for a 56.0 ypp average in Indiana game, which was one punt shy of qualifying for career-high, starting with a 54-yarder and 56-yarder in the second quarter, adding a 58-yarder in the fourth quarter, overcoming two blocked punts that count toward team punts . . . punted in the Michigan game on Oct. 25, marking first punt for the first time since Oct. 4 at Oregon after the Spartans’ bye week as MSU did not punt at all in MSU’s last game vs. Iowa, and ended with three punts for a 51.7 yards per punt average with all three going 50 or more yards . . . boomed a 51-yarder on his first punt of the game, early in the second quarter, and added a 54-yarder later in the second stanza and finished with a 50-yarder in the third quarter . . . did not attempt a punt in Iowa game, marking the first time that Michigan State did not punt in a game since Nov. 18, 1989, vs. Northwestern in a 76-14 win, and according to the Big Ten record book, it was only the 23rd time in a Big Ten Conference game for a team to not punt in a game . . . was also holder for all of Jonathan Kim’s school-record six field goals, which was most in B1G and FBS during the 2024 season and tied a modern-day B1G record . . . punted season-high tying six times at Oregon, booming a 55-yard punt on his first punt of the night in the first quarter, adding a 52-yarder in the third quarter, finishing with six punts for a 44.3 ypp average with the long of 55 and one inside the 20 . . . had three punts of 50+ yards against Ohio State with a 58-yarder in the fourth quarter, a 55-yarder in the third quarter and a 50-yarder in the fourth quarter, finishing night with five punts for a 46.6 ypp average . . . had two punts in steady rain at Boston College, booming a 50-yard punt on first punt of the night, and adding a 48-yarder later, to finish with 49.0 ypp average on two punts, and also was holder on four FGs and one PAT . . . punted just once against Prairie View A&M, but made it a good one, going 55 yards for ninth consecutive game with at least one 50-yard punt . . . boomed season-long 61-yard punt in the third quarter at Maryland, adding a 51-yarder in the fourth quarter . . . finished with three punts for a 51.3 ypp average against the Terrapins . . . had six punts for a 49.5 yards per punt average with a long of 58 yards in season opener vs. Florida Atlantic, along with pinning two inside the 20, with both going inside the 10, highlighted by his first punt of the season, a 40-yard punt that was downed at the FAU 1, setting up MSU’s safety on the Owls’ second play of the ensuing series for the Spartans’ first points of not just the game, but also of the 2024 season ... also had a 57-yarder in the fourth quarter that trickled into the end zone for a touchback after he also had a 47-yarder in the second quarter that was caught at the FAU 9 by the Owls’ returner, along with his game-high 58-yarder in the third quarter, adding a tackle on a return that was wiped out by a blocking penalty on FAU . . . also the holder for two PATs.
2023 SEASON (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN): Named a first-team Freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and The Athletic . . . second-team All-Big Ten pick by both the coaches and media . . . ranked second in the Big Ten and eighth in the FBS with his 46.8-yard punting average, which was the fifth-longest average in MSU single-season history . . . ranked second in the Big Ten in 50-plus yard punts (24) and fourth in punts inside the 20 (23) . . . also had four punts of 60-plus yards and 15 inside the 10-yard line . . . tabbed to the Ray Guy Award Midseason Watch List . . . ended the season on a strong note by pinning at least one punt inside the 20 in each of the last six games, including 15 punts inside the 20 in the last five games . . . named to the Academic All-District Team and the Academic All-Big Ten Team . . . saved one of his best performances for last, booming a season-high six punts for 50-plus yards in the regular-season finale vs. Penn State inside Ford Field for a 54.0-yard average, including two of 60-plus yards, highlighted by his final punt of the night going for 63 yards . . . also holder for PAT and FGs . . . punted four times for a 51.0 ypp average with a long of 56 yards at Indiana, with three punts going for 50-plus yards, along with three inside the 20, including two inside 10 . . . punted six times at Ohio State with a long of 58 yards, one of two of 50-plus, adding a 50-yarder in the second quarter, and had four inside the 20, tying career-high with three inside the 10, highlighted by one being downed at the OSU 2 in the second quarter, along with one being downed at the OSU 8 in the third quarter and a fair catch at the OSU 8 in the fourth quarter . . . named to the Ray Guy Award Ray’s 8 list for performance in the Nebraska game, with a career-high tying seven punts for a 48.3 ypp average . . . boomed five punts of 50-plus yards, highlighted by a game-long 57-yarder, adding two 53-yarders, along with one of 51 yards and one 50-yarder . . . also had two inside the 20, with both going inside the 10 . . . punted six times for a 42.7 ypp average at Minnesota, with a long of 54 and three inside the 20, including two inside the 10, with two punts of 50-plus yards, a 54-yarder and a 53-yarder on back-to-back punts in the first quarter . . . punted seven times in Michigan game for 46.9 ypp average with a long of 52 yards, with one inside the 20 and one touchback . . . punted twice at Rutgers for a 48.0 ypp average with a long of 49 yards . . . entered Iowa game with just one 50-yard punt at 52 yards and one inside the 10, and boomed three 50-plus yard punts, including two over 60 yards, and three at or inside the 10, including punting a then career-long 61-yard punt in the first quarter, pinning Iowa at the 3-yard line, and then added a 67-yarder in the fourth quarter, adding a 52-yarder in the third quarter . . . the 67-yarder was MSU’s longest punt since a 72-yarder by Bryce Baringer in the 2022 season-finale at Penn State (11/26/22) . . . was also holder on one PAT and three field goals, including Kinnick Stadium record 58-yarder by Jonathan Kim as time expired before halftime . . . boomed first 50-yard punt of career with a 52-yarder in the Washington game, part of four punts for a 38.5 ypp average, with two inside the 20, one inside the 10, yielding two returns for just 1 yard, with one fair catch and one downed, as well as holder for lone PAT of night . . . punted twice for a 39.5 ypp average and a long of 40 yards, with two inside the 20 in the Richmond game, including inducing a muffed return at the UR 19 that MSU recovered to set up the Spartans’ first score of the game . . . punted three times for a 43.0 ypp average in the season opener vs. Central Michigan.
2022 SEASON: Appeared in just one game to preserve his redshirt season . . . had a 41-yard punt in his collegiate debut vs. Akron in Week 2 in his only game action of the season.
HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Enrolled at Michigan State in January 2022 and competed in spring practice . . . three-year starting kicker and punter on varsity at Newsome High School in Lithia, Florida . . . named third-team all-state in Class 8A by FloridaHSFootball.com . . . first-team selection to the All-Western Conference – Federal Division . . . averaged 42.6 yards per punt as a senior in 2021, including 13 punts placed inside the 20 . . . had 28 punts overall for 1,193 yards in 11 games . . . averaged 55.6 yards on kickoffs as a senior, including 36 touchbacks on 51 kickoffs . . . scored a career-high 52 points his senior season (28-of-32 on PATS, 8-of-10 in field goals) . . . helped Newsome to an 8-3 record and a berth in the 8A state playoffs in 2021 . . . tallied 44 points as junior (29-of-30 PATs, 5-of-9 FGs) and 42 points as a sophomore (36-of-41 PATs, 2-of-4 FGs) . . . scored a total of 138 points during his high school career (93-of-103 PATs, 15-of-23 FGs) . . . averaged 39.8 yards per punt overall in high school (74 punts for 2,942 yards) . . . averaged 56.7 yards per kickoffs with 95 touchbacks on 163 kickoffs (58 percent) during his three years at Newsome . . . kinesiology major.
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