Payne puts the power in BYU kicking game

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2004 | 10:21 a.m.

It's usually not a good sign when arguably your team's most popular player is a punter. But BYU's Matt Payne is not your average punter.

A 6-foot-4, 235-pound senior who currently ranks third in the nation with a 46.5 average, Payne is also one of the nation's best placekickers. In fact, Payne is the only player in the nation to appear on both the Ray Guy Award (top punter) watch list as well as the Lou Groza Award (best kicker) watch list this year.

And unlike most punters/kickers, Payne isn't afraid to dish out a little pain with a jarring tackle or two, as he did earlier this year against USC star Reggie Bush and twice against Boise State returners.

"One of my goals early on was to be a part of the team," Payne said. "I wanted to condition with the team and lift weights with the team. It all helps when you perform in the games because then they treat you as an equal."

And perform Payne, a former all-state point guard in basketball, has done better than just about any player --- offense, defense or special teams --- in the Mountain West Conference this year.

Payne has already claimed three of the conference's five special teams player of the week awards, giving him a league record six player of the week awards in his career. He holds conference records for field goals (46) and has connected on 55 straight PATs. He has connected on 10 consecutive field goals between 40 and 49 yards.

Here's the scary part: He's probably an even better punter.

BYU leads the nation in net punting with an average of 42.9 yards per punt. He had a 79-yarder against USC earlier this year that traveled an estimated 80 yards in the air. And in BYU's 31-21 win Saturday at Colorado State, he had two punts downed inside the 5-yard line which helped lead to 10 Cougars points. Twelve of his 33 punts this season have been downed inside the 20.

Payne figures to improve on that mark on Friday night when the Cougars face a UNLV team that ranks dead last (117th) in the nation in punt returns.

So it shouldn't be surprising that BYU fans aren't afraid to cheer for Payne when he trots out on the field to punt.

In fact, Payne is so popular with the Provo faithful that local radio station did a takeoff of the old Police tune, "King of Pain" and came up with its own tune titled, "King of Payne."

"He is really good, an excellent punter," UNLV offensive coordinator Bruce Snyder, who handles punt return special teams duties for the Rebels, said. "He's a big man for a punter and physical. He's a two-stepper and very quick. Nobody blocks one. I've seen him hit 10 over 50 yards, so he's got a big-time leg."