Tigers' Payne Signs with Central Missouri State
Mar 8, 2006, 23:07
Dave Kopp
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| Pen in hand, Kirk Payne of Warrensburg signs a letter of intent to attend Central Missouri State and play football. On hand for the signing were (seated, left to right) Kirk's sister, Hannah Payne, his parents, Cindy and Trent Payne, (standing) WHS assistant coach Don Schreimann and WHS head coach Shane Taylor. (Photo by Dave Kopp) |
A hard hitting safety, the Warrensburg High senior is getting the opportunity to take his game to the next level and continue to play in front of the home town fans. Wednesday, Payne signed a national letter of intent to attend Central Missouri State and play football.
"It's good to get the monkey off my back," Payne said shortly after signing the letter. "I didn't know if I was going to play baseball or football, but I'm good with my decision."
Less than a year ago, there was a question if Payne would be playing anything during his senior year. He was in the hospital, recovering from surgery to repair a torn spleen.
Payne suffered the potentially fatal injury when he collided with a teammate while chasing down a pop fly ball during an American Legion baseball game. Though he wasn't expected to play at all during the football season, Payne was back and suited up by game four in mid-September.
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| Safety Kirk Payne (dark jersey) made 62 tackles during his senior season. (Photo by Dave Kopp) |
"He only played for us for two years," said Warrensburg High head coach Shane Taylor, referring to Payne's arrival from Texas prior to his junior year. "I remember when he first walked through the door, Coach (Dane) Ulrich and I were sitting there and we knew that he was a football player. He acted like it and he turned into a real good leader right off the bat. All of our kids admired him and appreciated his work ethic.
"This year, when he got hurt playing baseball, he tore his spleen, we were all just hoping he was going to be okay, let alone be able to play. Not only did he play, but he came back and, again, was our defensive leader and the guy that made sure everybody did everything right. I think (CMSU) is a good place for Kirk and I think he’s going to be successful there."
For his part, Payne said he believes he got as much or more from the program in return during his two seasons at WHS.
"I did a lot of growing up here under Coach Taylor from my junior season to my senior season," Payne said. "Playing at a smaller school taught me to respect the game a little bit more than I had before playing in Texas and only playing one way. The practices here were a lot harder."
Staying close to home, Payne pointed out, was not necessarily a priority. He had considered going back to Texas for college, but the Central Missouri State program was a good fit.
"It was probably the biggest school where I could play football," Payne said. "It's a good school, I'll get a good education and it's a good team. I like the coaches a lot."
Payne added that Mules' coaches have already told him he will redshirt next season, but that he will be given every opportunity to crack the lineup in 2007.
"I need to get bigger, faster and stronger," said Payne of his goals during his redshirt season. "Hopefully, after that, I'll be able to get into the mix a little bit."
"In my opinion, he's going to be like a Mike Dillon," Taylor said. "He's going to redshirt a year and then he's going to play as a redshirt freshman. He may be a kickoff team guy, a punt team guy, but I guarantee you he'll be on the field as a redshirt freshman."
