Payne set for role as leader

Before he knew a coaching change even would occur last season, Phillip Payne began preparing for this year.

UNLV's all-time leading pass catcher, Ryan Wolfe, no longer would be around, and Payne knew he quickly would become the face of the team's wide receivers.

Payne also knew with higher expectations would come more double teams from opposing defenses, and he would be the one on his team who set the standard for the younger receivers.

So last year, then-receivers coach Kris Cinkovich talked to Payne about the importance of growing as a football player and meeting the demands.

"Now I can lead by example like Ryan Wolfe did," Payne said.

New wide receivers coach Cedric Cormier has noticed how the quiet Payne has embraced his role. Payne, a junior who went to Western High School, is first in line for drills, and he is the one teaching the younger players.

"You want guys to take ownership of the group because we can only do so much," Cormier said. "Players are around each other a lot more sometimes than we're around them.

"It's real important for Phil because a lot of guys look up to Phil. When you talk about our receiving corps, the first name that comes up is Phillip Payne."

Payne burst into a leading role two years ago, making a highlight-reel one-handed catch to send a game at Arizona State into overtime, helping the Rebels pull off a 23-20 upset.

He followed that the following week with a 25-yard touchdown catch on a fade to beat Iowa State 34-31 in overtime.

The fade pass in the end zone became the signature play for the 6-foot-3-inch Payne, who caught seven touchdown passes in each of his first two seasons.

Opponents adjusted last season, sending more defensive help to deny Payne of such grabs. But defenses couldn't double team throughout games because of Wolfe's presence, and Payne caught 58 passes for 661 yards.

Now with Wolfe trying to make the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent, Payne figures to see a lot more double teams, putting the onus on junior Michael Johnson and sophomore Mark Barefield as well as a bevy of freshmen to step up and make plays.

That's not the only change.

Payne previously ran mostly set routes, but now all the receivers are expected to read the defense and decide which route best will attack the coverage.

"Basically, you have to know what everybody is doing," Payne said. "Last year, I only had to know what I was doing on one side."

How much success Payne has will depend largely on how well he picks up the new offensive concepts.

"Football's a smart guy's game, so you have to be able to figure things out," coach Bobby Hauck said. "We have some ... run-and-shoot principles in our offense in terms of reading routes on the fly and adjusting them. He's doing a nice job."

Much is expected from the only Rebel to make the preseason All-Mountain West Conference Team.

Rather than be happy with the honor, Payne focused on the league media's eighth-place prediction for the Rebels in the nine-team conference.

"We're going to be ready by the time Sept. 4 comes," Payne said of the season opener against Wisconsin at Sam Boyd Stadium. "We were out here seven-on-seven (drills), and that was the first thing that came up -- they ranked us eighth."

So Payne and his teammates will try to prove the doubters wrong.

And he will try to pull off the difficult task of successfully following Wolfe.

"The thing I've talked to him about is pushing himself to not settle for just being a good player," Cormier said. "Now it's time for him to become a great player."

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914.