Payne makes debut at Rebel football camp

ELY -- UNLV senior wide receiver Phillip Payne practiced Sunday for the first time this training camp.

He had been out with a broken right foot sustained while running routes for UNLV's quarterbacks in June during a voluntary offseason workout.

Coach Bobby Hauck said if Payne doesn't suffer any setbacks, he will start the Sept. 1 football season opener at Wisconsin.

"I'm excited about him, and initially coming off a broken bone in the foot, you kind of hold your breath every time they take a step," Hauck said. "So hopefully it stays in place and he can go."

Payne, who caught 40 passes for 689 yards and five touchdowns last season, has played in 25 games for UNLV.

But this training camp, Payne was mostly a spectator.

"Not being able to play hurts," Payne said. "But I'm really glad to be back."

He said the foot didn't give him problems Sunday.

"I don't want to push it," Payne said. "To me, it feels fine. I feel like I can do whatever."

NOTABLE

Third-string quarterback Taylor Barnhill, a redshirt freshman, has been working some out of the pistol offense. Hauck said he didn't know when or if he would put Barnhill in that formation. "We always kind of have had a changeup like that," Hauck said. ... Redshirt freshman Jordan Sparkman was switched from tight end to the defensive line. ... Senior safety Mike Clausen, a former quarterback, has worked at holder. ... Senior wide receiver Michael Johnson took a hard shot and injured his left knee. He walked off the field, though, and Hauck said he believed Johnson would be OK. ... Hauck said he didn't have an update on the severity of junior safety Corbin Brown's sprained left ankle.