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Payne a solid asset for Lycoming’s defense

Jarrell Payne wasn’t exactly planning a visit to Lycoming as he decided where he wanted to play college football while in high school. But at the advice of his coach, Payne joined a friend who was being recruited by the Warriors and made the trip from Jersey City, New Jersey, to Williamsport.

Payne like what he saw. He spoke with then Lycoming assistant coach Earl Chaptman and provided him with his high school film. The next fall, Payne was wearing the familiar blue jersey and white helmet of a Lycoming football player.

Payne always knew he wanted to play college football. He just never quite knew where. All he knew is he wanted to get away from home a little bit.

It was a culture shock when he first arrived in Williamsport. Lycoming County didn’t exactly provide the city life he was used to. But it has become home for the linebacker. And despite a position switch and a wealth of injuries, Payne has become one of the key players in one of the Middle Atlantic Conference’s top defenses.

“It’s definitely more of a country scene here,” Payne said. “But I was able to adjust quickly and I liked it here.”

Payne doesn’t look like your typical collegiate linebacker. He’s listed at 5-foot-9, 175 pounds, but plays so much bigger than what his size would suggest. But he’s been part of a revolution for the Lycoming defense which has seen the unit turn into a faster and more athletic group.

Part of the reason for that is taking players like Payne, who showed up as a safety, and moving him to an outside linebacker spot. The move works on various levels. At the time when Payne was moved, Mike Ward was in the middle of an all-MAC career at safety which allowed the flexibility to make a move like this. It also made Steve Wiser’s defense faster and more athletic. And with Payne’s background in the secondary, he can work in coverage schemes in nickel situations without having to change personnel.

Take for example the last two weeks for Payne. Against Alvernia he was blitzing off the edge and picked up his only sack of the season. Last week against Wilkes he was in a spot 20 yards downfield in coverage where he could dive to intercept a tipped pass.

“Incredibly fast second-level defenders are tough to come by and are great when they play for you,” Lycoming coach Mike Clark said. “We basically play nickel defense all the time because of him. You don’t have to substitute people, and you don’t have to crosstrain people. But based on how people play now, he’s physical enough to disrupt bubbles and field type of runs. He’s fast enough he can cover people in man-to-man scenarios. He’s a versatile, tough, athletic player.”

Payne wasn’t too sure about making the move to linebacker last season. He was coming off a missed year because of shoulder surgery during the end of his freshman season. He wanted to return to the safety spot where he had made an impact.

But in two seasons he’s grown to love his spot at linebacker. But he’s been so versatile that he’s been a big part of the reason Lycoming has given up the third-fewest yards and second-fewest points in the MAC this season.

Don’t let his diminutive stature fool you. Payne plays with an aggressiveness and a violence which belies his stature. It’s the only way he’s ever known how to play. Growing up he knew he wasn’t as skilled as some of the other players around him, so he had to play with better effort and physicality.

Payne and middle linebacker Trey Smith are the only players on the defense to record both a sack and an interception this season.

“After two years at linebacker, I’m enjoying it a lot now,” Payne said. “I have a little more freedom on the outside. I get to blitz more. I’m making more contact each play. It’s fun.”

“Blocking someone in space like Jarrell? That’s hard,” Clark said. “If you can out-athlete people, sometimes it eliminates having to be absolutely right schematically. If gives you more of a margin for error.”

When Lycoming plays against Stevenson today in its final home game of the season, they will celebrate the seniors on the team. Payne should be one of them, having arrived on campus in 2015. But he lost the 2016 season to a torn labrum in his left shoulder and he has one more season of eligibility left.

Payne has decided to return next season for one final run with the Warriors. He’s battled through a number of injuries this season, including one which cost him the game against King’s. He’ll play today nursing a couple bumps and bruises. But for him it’s worth it to invest the time into one more season and one more semester at Lycoming.

It wasn’t a decision Payne made easily. But it’s a decision which has Clark happy to know he’ll be able to count on him at linebacker again next fall.

“I really enjoy playing football, especially with the group of guys I’ve come to call my brothers here over the last four years,” Payne said. “I want to spend as much time with them as possible.”

“He’s a tough kid. He’s a really violent player,” Clark said. “But the best part is he’s got an extra year and he’s going to come back and use it. It tells you how much football means to the kid.”

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