The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/917835
70 THE WOLVERINE JANUARY 2018 WHERE ARE THEY NOW? rarely found himself speechless in his 43 years on the planet, but this time he proved precisely so. "When they snapped the ball, Ninef did a rip move, an uppercut rip through Steve's shoulder, and Steve had him lassoed around the neck, trying to kick his hip out and push him to the side," Payne re- called. "You could tell, he had Everitt's edge. "And Everitt stepped back, countered his rip, and choke-slammed the biggest, meanest-looking dude I've seen on the football field like he was a rag doll. I'll never forget. "My mouth dropped open, and my mouthpiece fell on the ground. I'd never seen a dude that big get done that nasty. That's when I realized I was coming behind an All-American." Payne learned behind that All- American, and that line, all the way to Pasadena. The Wolverines battled through an undefeated season with three ties, including 13-13 against Ohio State, before outgunning Wash- ington 38-31 in the Rose Bowl. Shockingly, Michigan's fifth con- secutive Big Ten championship would prove to be the only one for the true freshmen, despite great talent and strong squads. They went 3-1-1 against Ohio State, including huge upsets over the No. 5 Buckeyes in 1993 (28-0), and No. 2 OSU in 1995 and 1996 (13-9). Payne started a handful of games as a redshirt freshman in 1993. He might have been Michigan's most gifted center, but he still had lessons (and a playbook) to learn. "I had a propensity for taking off the exact opposite direction of a play," he quipped. "I had so much information going on in my head. Back then, if you were a Michigan center, you'd be lucky if you were starting your junior year. "I'll never forget [assistant coach] Cam Cameron telling me, 'Rod, you're going to play in the NFL. But you need to learn what senior leader- ship is.' And that was true." He learned toughness from Everitt, who performed even when wired together. Payne eventually wound up playing center for two seasons without a true backup at the position. "That's really where I developed my sense of playing through pain," he said. "I remember Everitt playing with a broken jaw. I'm looking at this guy like he's Superman. "By my senior season, I had a handful of surgeries. The last time I talked to Lloyd Carr, he reminded me that I rode the entire way my se- nior year on the floor of the bus to Columbus, because I had a bruised SI joint. I could barely walk. "You were bred to that. We had talent, but we were taught to be that kind of player." He broke his right hand at one point, and proceeded to snap with his other hand parts of two seasons. "My senior year, I had to snap shotgun left- handed," he said. "You talk about a nervous wreck. "But having that prec- edent, guys like Steve Everitt and John Vitale, I wasn't going to let this tradition down." Along the way, he lost his head coach, Gary Moeller. Payne was one of a handful to go to Michigan's Board of Re- gents and insist that if they hired anyone be- sides Carr or another Michigan Man, they'd be performing without the team veterans. They also lost coaches like Cameron and Les Miles, and didn't return to the Rose Bowl. But Michigan didn't go away, Payne declared. "We were still a dominant, kick-ass team," he said. "We still beat the snot out of Ohio State, when they were No. 2 in the country, and rushed for almost 400 yards. We still were Michigan. "We were still the team everybody had as a red-letter game." His own Michigan experience has guided him throughout a coaching career back in his native Florida, and as a top strength and conditioning consultant in the state. "Michigan was different," he as- sured. "It was just a step above." ❏ Michigan Accomplishments: Served as Michigan's starting center from 1994- 96, and part of 1993 … Played on the 1992 Big Ten and Rose Bowl champion Michigan squad … Became a first-team All-American and Michigan MVP in 1996, his second season as an All-Big Ten performer. Education: Earned a Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology in the spring of 1997. Professional Accomplishments: Played for the Cincinnati Bengals in 1997-98, and earned a Super Bowl ring with the Baltimore Ravens in 2000 … Has coached extensively in his native Florida, including Westminster Academy (2006-07), Felix Varela High (2008), and as defensive line coach for Florida Atlantic (2009-11), Spanish River High School and most recently St. Thomas Aquinas High … Serves as a strength and conditioning consultant for levels ranging from youth to pros. Michigan Memory: "We didn't win the Big Ten championship [after 1992], but I'm 3-1-1 against Ohio State, and I've got a winning record against Michigan State. "That was one of the things we learned early on. We do not lose against Ohio State and Michigan State. I'm proud to say that even only winning one Big Ten title, I walked out of college with a dominant record against them." Family: Married to Catherine, with whom he has a 3-month-old son, Harrison Reginald Payne. Also has three daughters: Isabella, 16, Jada, 11, and Marley, 10. The Rod Payne File Payne — seen here with his wife, Catherine — has coached high school and col- lege football, and currently is a strength and conditioning consultant for all levels. PHOTO COURTESY ROD PAYNE