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March 29, 2024

UNLV SPRING FOOTBALL:

Matured Phillip Payne has clean slate and is out for redemption in 2011

Rebels star receiver, whose 2010 season was thrown off by Twitter incident, is ready to shine again

Phillip Payne

Steve Marcus

Wide receiver Phillip Payne (#4), left, a graduate of Western High School, stretches out with teammates on the first day of Spring football practice at Rebel Field Monday, February 28, 2011.

UNLV receiver Phillip Payne

Wide receiver Phillip Payne (#4), center, a graduate of Western High School, works out with the UNLV Rebels on the first day of Spring football practice at Rebel Field Monday, February 28, 2011. Launch slideshow »

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About 30,000 feet in the air and somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, UNLV receiver Phillip Payne realized that everything was going to be OK at the conclusion of a junior season that was equal parts frustrating and confusing.

It was on the long flight back from a 59-21 loss at Hawaii, capping off a less-than-stellar 2-11 campaign, when Payne and first-year coach Bobby Hauck sat and talked for a while.

The heart-to-heart session centered around putting an unsightly social networking incident from early October that derailed Payne's already sub-par 2010 campaign behind them for good.

"We basically talked about moving on," Payne recalled. "Learning from it and what you should and shouldn't do.

"Some people would turn their back at you (in that situation). He was a mentor for me instead."

Now, Payne is out to re-pay his coach for sticking with him when some in Hauck's position, at the time, might have kicked him to the curb.

There was something different about Payne right from the start last fall.

After flourishing in former coach Mike Sanford's shotgun-spread offense in his first two seasons, catching 87 balls for 1,097 yards and 14 TDs in only 20 games, the talented 6-foot-3 target was hardly noticed during training camp.

He'd followed the lead of veterans Casey Flair and Ryan Wolfe in 2008 and 2009, respectively, but entering 2010 as the next in line to head up the receiving corps, instead of taking the reins, he appeared distant most of the time. As always, he'd make drills and practice reps look easy, but then would quietly wait in the shadows away from everyone else until it was again his turn.

That helped translate into a slow start to the season. In a more balanced offense, Payne's blocking within the ground game came and went, and he was targeted fewer times than he was used to with everyone still adjusting to the new schemes.

He finally busted out in the fifth game, catching eight passes for 170 yards in a 44-26 loss to rival UNR. Oddly, though, it was after that game when Payne posted a series of messages criticizing the new coaching staff on his Twitter feed.

Word of the mini-rants came out just before the team headed off to face West Virginia on Oct. 9, and Payne was left behind. He returned to practice the following Monday, but also was suspended for the next weekend's game at Colorado State.

UNLV lost those two contests by a combined score of 92-20 in the middle of a 2-11 season.

"It was hard, because you feel like you let everyone down, especially with the game at Colorado State," Payne said. "That's one where things shouldn't have gone like they did. But they took me back in, and that's what you call a family."

Payne didn't seem to get back into the flow fully until the season's final two games. He still finished the season with a career-best 689 yards off 40 receptions, scoring five times.

Still, those numbers could have been much more inflated, and now Payne is hoping to use his senior season to show that he can put it all together and be a true No. 1 receiver.

He said that the struggles he brought upon himself last season will translate into better success on the field.

"It was definitely a reality check," Payne added. "You've got to take criticism however it comes. And I got a lot of criticism last year. I definitely learned from it and how not to take it as bad, but as good — as fuel."

Payne's new attitude was on display on Monday, as UNLV held the first of its 15 spring practices out at Rebel Park. He was much more engaging with teammates and was simply having fun again.

"He's a good guy," Hauck said. "You know, when you're dealing with good people, it's easy. When you're coaching, you're in the business of educating and development — not just as a player, but on the personal side. When you're dealing with good people, good things can happen.

"He's just got good things going for him."

A happier, more mature and dedicated Payne means good things for Hauck's fledgling program, too.

Payne said that after being a part of three sub-.500 teams, his main goal for 2011 is to get UNLV to six wins and eligible for its first bowl game since the 2000 season.

He would definitely stand to make some personal gains if he can help the Rebels reach that mark. Payne is still one of the Mountain West's top receivers, and with his combination of size, sure hands and an ability to dominate in the red zone, he could still earn himself a strong shot at a pro career after next season.

If he does fall short of expectations again, though, he vows that it won't be due to off-field transgressions.

"I've definitely matured," Payne said. "I feel like I'm a little wiser. I've learned to listen to certain people and which people I shouldn't listen to. I definitely learned to keep my mouth shut."

Spring Practice Notes

• A few returning players practiced for the first time at new positions on Monday. One of particular local interest is Bishop Gorman grad Taylor Spencer's move from safety to wide receiver.

Spencer was a two-way stand-out for the Gaels before redshirting last year in his first season on campus. A gifted athlete who was one of Hauck's bigger gets last year on the recruiting trail, he's now trying his hand as a slot receiver.

"We messed around a little bit with that in the fall," Hauck said. "We'll have to see. He did some decent things in the back end on defense last fall, but he looks a little more natural right now at receiver.

Other position switches being experimented with include senior C.J. Cox moving from running back to linebacker, sophomore Aaron Reed going from receiver to tight end and senior Chris Jones going from linebacker back to safety.

• Sophomore quarterback Caleb Herring had a crisp first practice, and is bracing for a strong competition for the right to start next fall.

Making his debut on campus on Monday was junior Sean Reilly, who enrolled this semester after spending two years at Saddleback (Calif.) College.

The two figure to battle throughout the fall for the gig, with redshirt freshman Taylor Barnhill — who looked much improved from the fall — also in the mix.

"You need competition," Hauck said. "It was productive for us to take a junior college quarterback. It made sense to do that. That's not a reflection on guys in the program, but reflection on where the depth is."

• As for the rest of this week, UNLV will practice from 4-6 p.m. at Rebel park on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. All practices are open to the public.

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