BYU Football History Book: Reno Mahe

Before Reno Mahe was running backs coach for BYU football, he was an extremely talented Cougar wide receiver.

Reno Mahe joined BYU football in 1998 as a running back. In that season he averaged 4.9 yards per carry and was second on the team in rushing behind Ronney Jenkins.

While he was a talented runner, he left his mark on BYU football by playing wide receiver.

Let’s take a look back at Mahe’s impressive numbers as a Cougar.

1998 (Freshman): 13 games, 98 carries, 510 yards, 6 TD; 16 receptions, 181 yards, 1 TD.

2001 (Junior): 13 games, 15 carries, 174 yards; 91 receptions, 1,211 yards, 9 TD.

2002 (Senior): 12 games, 15 carries, 64 yards, 1 TD; 59 receptions, 771 yards, 2 TD.

Mahe’s performance in 2001 led to First Team All-Mountain West Conference honors. He led the MWC in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns that season. Mahe was also 5th nationally with his 91 catches.

Besides having impressive numbers, Mahe had great instincts. He was such a smooth play maker that he made everything look easy for BYU football.

That’s one of the many reasons he found himself in the NFL after leaving Provo.

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Mahe played with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2003-07, doing most of his damage as a return man on the Eagles’ special teams unit.

In 2005 he led the NFL in punt return average with 12.8 yards per return. For his career, he averaged nine yards per punt return and 21.4 yards per kick return. He had three career return touchdowns.

Mahe also played in Super Bowl 39 against the New England Patriots. The Eagles lost to New England, but Mahe still has a NFC Championship ring.

He returned to BYU football in 2016, coming aboard Kalani Sitake‘s staff. Earlier this year, Mahe tragically lost his 3-year-old daughter Elsie. As many mourned with the Mahe family, they decided to donate her organs.

The National Kidney Foundation put up a billboard in Lehi, Utah, honoring the late Elsie.

Reno plans on wearing pink during the 2017 season to continue honoring his late daughter.