RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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VERNON — Tyce Payne already has two all-state seasons behind him and a growing list of college options ahead.
The Vernon linebacker noted that BYU, Michigan and TCU are the schools he is currently leaning toward as he enters his junior season, unranked by 247Sports, but Payne is not treating his recruitment as the defining story of the year.
He still has plenty he wants to accomplish at Vernon.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder has recorded 154 tackles in 23 varsity games, including 41½ tackles for loss and six sacks. After earning All-State recognition as both a freshman and sophomore, Payne has set his sights on first-team honors and helping establish Vernon’s linebackers among the best in Texas.
“I want to get first-team all-state, and I just want to prove that we have the best linebackers in the state,” Payne said.
Some outside support already backs that argument. Dave Campbell’s Texas Football ranked Vernon’s linebacker unit No. 1 in Class 3A entering the season, a distinction Payne said has added to the group’s excitement.
“It’s super cool,” Payne said. “I’m fired up about it.”
Payne believes his game has changed significantly since he first stepped onto the varsity field. He describes himself as "more physical and quicker to react," a development that has turned him into the anchor of Vernon’s defense.
For Payne, though, the way he plays matters beyond big hits and the stat sheet. When asked what he hopes people notice when they watch him on Friday nights, he pointed to his sportsmanship and the way he treats teammates.
Being a good teammate, he noted, can be as simple as "hyping up someone else’s tackle" or offering encouragement after a play.
That approach will matter for a Lions team trying to take the next step after coming close in recent seasons . Payne believes the Lions have the pieces to extend their season into December if they keep improving.
“I feel like we’re pretty solid,” Payne said. “We just need to fix some things, especially offensively, but I feel like we can make a deep run.”
The 2026 season also brings a different dynamic to the sideline. Payne’s father, Brock Payne, is entering his first season as Vernon’s head coach after spending the previous five years as the Lions’ defensive coordinator.
Tyce said the transition has been positive, describing the program as more efficient under his father’s direction.
Eventually, his attention will turn to a college decision, but with two seasons still ahead at Vernon, Payne knows there is no rush.
For now, BYU, Michigan and TCU are the schools he said he is leaning toward as he continues to weigh what he wants at the next level.
Payne, though, knows he will be looking for more than a place to play football.
“Somewhere with a good culture, somewhere I can win at and somewhere that can develop me as a player and as a person,” Payne said.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Vernon’s Tyce Payne eyes 1st-team All-State, weighs BYU, Michigan, TCU
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