The BYU Cougars kick off the 2025 season in 38 days against Portland State. As we continue counting down the days until kickoff, today we will profile the player who wears No. 38 - freshman running back Logan Payne - by providing three interesting, fun facts:
Fun fact No. 1 - His BYU ties run deep
The Payne last name is becoming synonymous with BYU football. Logan's father, Matt, is a well-remembered punter and kicker from his days at BYU. His uncle, Mitch, also kicked at BYU. Matt's brother, Tyler (profiled here), is a linebacker for the Cougars. The Payne family legacy lives on in Provo.
Fun fact No. 2 - He was a record-setting star at Weber High
According to Payne's player profile on BYU's team website, he was an All-State first team running back at Weber High back in 2021. He received this honor after leading 6A in rushing that year with 1,390 yards and 16 touchdowns, setting a new school record for rushing yards. Payne was named Utah Running Back of the Year in 2021.
Despite the high school accolades, his national recruiting profile never really took off. Payne doesn't have a 247 Sports recruiting profile that I could find, so he was a "zero star" recruit coming out of high school, which seems odd given his outstanding production. KSL Sports reported the 5-foot-10, 215-pounder joined the Cougars as a preferred walk-on sometime late last year.
Fun fact No. 3 - He's a returned missionary
Logan served a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Cali, Colombia. He's back from his mission now, obviously, and will be knocking off the mission rust as he joins a crowded, talented running back room for a competitive BYU squad. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Logan Payne redshirt this season.