PROVO — BYU will induct four former All-American student-athletes and two nationally recognized coaches into its Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday, Sept. 20, at a ceremony held in the Cougar Room at LaVell Edwards Stadium.

North Ogden native and Weber High alum Matt Payne (football) will join Brian Billick (football/coach), Lacey Cramer Bleazard (track), Jennifer Hamson (volleyball/basketball), Dave Rose (basketball coach) and Futi Tavana (volleyball) in the class.

The inductees will also be honored during a special halftime presentation when BYU football hosts Kansas State on Saturday, Sept. 21.

Payne, perhaps BYU football’s most accomplished and dynamic specialist, left a lasting footprint at BYU with memorable punts, placekicks and tackles during his four-year career with the Cougars.

A native of North Ogden, Utah, Payne came to BYU following a three-sport prep career at Weber High School. He earned the starting placekicker role on the Cougars’ 2001 team, one of the most prolific offenses in program history.

In his first collegiate start, Payne tied the BYU single-game record with 10 PATs made on 10 attempts in the Cougars’ 70-35 barnstorm of Tulane. The freshman placekicker went on to record an NCAA record of 76 PAT attempts with a BYU-record 73 PATs made. He finished the 2001 regular season with a Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week honor after kicking the game-winning field goal to defeat Mississippi State on the road.

Beginning in 2002, Payne expanded his specialist role as BYU’s starting punter. He was named All-America Honorable Mention and All-Mountain West First Team in 2002.

A 2003 Preseason All-American, Payne became BYU’s first kicker to make two field goals of 50-plus yards in a single game with makes from 53 and 52 yards at No. 4 USC. Payne finished the 2003 season with multiple All-MWC honors, and an NCAA record 14 consecutive field goals made from between 40 and 49 yards.

As a senior in 2004, Payne finished the 2004 season as a semifinalist for both the Ray Guy and Lou Groza Awards, an All-Mountain West First Team performer and earned First Team All-America designations from both the AFCA and Sporting News.

At the conclusion of his Cougar career, Payne totaled an average of over 45 yards per punt, with 56 inside the opponents’ 20-yard line and 64 of 50-plus yards. Payne’s career placekicking marks included 55-of-74 field goals made and 151 makes in 158 PAT attempts.

Payne was a multitool athlete who was never afraid to lay a hit on a return man. Payne totaled eight tackles on special teams in both his junior and senior seasons, with none more memorable than two bone-rattling tackles at Boise State in 2004.

Payne’s success in the classroom was awarded as well with academic honors from both the Mountain West and Cougar Club. Payne graduated from BYU with a degree in exercise science in 2004.

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