Coastal Carolina University Athletics

2020 (Junior)

• Played in nine games on the season, getting the start in the win over Georgia Southern (Oct. 24)
• Was also a member of the hands unit on special teams
• Completed 18-of-36 pass attempts for 283 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions
• Also rushed 15 times for 82 yards on the season
• Got the start in place of an injured Grayson McCall versus Georgia Southern and led the Chants to the win
• Was 15-for-28 through the air for 252 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions
• Also ran the ball 10 times for 38 yards in the win over the Eagles
• Was 2-for-4 passing for 19 yards and rushed one time for 11 yards in the blowout at Georgia State (Oct. 31)
• Also completed 1-of-2 passes for 12 yards and carried the ball two times for 25 yards in the road win at Texas State (Nov. 28)

2019 (Sophomore)

• Played in 10 games, starting the first six games of the season before suffering an injury
• Missed two games, at Georgia Southern (Oct. 19) and versus Troy (Nov. 2) due to injury
• Led the team with 1,421 passing yards and 12 passing touchdowns on the season
• Also recorded a team-high 1,602 total yards of offense
• Was 119-for-187 through the air with seven interceptions
• Completed 63.64 percent of his passes on the year
• Also rushed 54 times for 181 yards and two touchdowns on the season
• In the road win at Kansas (Sept. 7), Payton became just the eighth quarterback in CCU’s young history to pass for over 1,000 career yards
• His career-high 304 passing yards in the season opener versus Eastern Michigan (Aug. 31) were the most by a Chant quarterback since Tyler Keane threw for 332 yards at Appalachian State in 2007
• Threw for a career-high three touchdowns at ULM (Nov. 23)
• Completed a career-high 29 passes on a career-high 43 pass attempts for a career-high 304 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener versus Eastern Michigan
• Passed for 240 yards, going 20-for-31 with two touchdowns and an interception and rushed for two touchdowns at Appalachian State (Sept. 28)
• Was 16-for-18 for 203 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in the road win at UMass (Sept. 21)
• Also completed 10-for-16 pass attempts for 158 yards at ULM
• Passed for 149 yards and a touchdown at Arkansas State (Nov. 16)

2018 (Freshman)

• Played in seven games, starting four-straight contests at quarterback at Georgia State (Oct. 27), versus Appalachian State (Nov. 3), against Arkansas State (Nov. 10), and at home versus Georgia Southern (Nov. 17)
• Named the BAM Offensive Player of the Week for the game at UMass (Oct. 20)
• Was second on the team with 677 passing yards and six passing touchdowns
• Completed 49-of-75 pass attempts for a completion percentage of 65.3 percent
• Threw two interceptions
• Also rushed 46 times for 142 yards on the year
• Made his collegiate debut at Campbell (Sept. 12), but did not record a stat
• Was a perfect 3-of-3 for 37 yards through the air versus ULM (Oct. 13)
• Came off the bench to spark the Chants’ offense, completing 5-of-7 passes for 107 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, and rushed five times for 44 yards in the road win at UMass (Oct. 20)
• Also completed a season-long 61-yard pass in the win over the Minutemen
• Rushed a season-high 17 times for 62 yards in the win at Georgia State
• Completed 12-of-17 passes for a season-high 222 yards and a touchdown versus the Panthers
• Was 10-of-16 for 79 yards and a touchdown, and carried the ball nine times for five yards in the start versus Appalachian State
• Threw for 146 yards and two touchdowns on 11-of-18 passing, and carried the ball eight times for 26 yards against Arkansas State
• Passed for 89 yards and a score on 8-of-14 passing, and rushed six times for 10 yards in the home finale against Georgia Southern
• Missed the regular-season finale at South Alabama (Nov. 23) due to an injury

High School

• A three-star recruit by 247Sports.com
• Also tabbed the 49th-best dual-threat quarterback in the nation by 247Sports.com
• Named the Gwinnett County Touchdown Club Quarterback of the Year
• Named first-team 7-AAAAAAA All-Region at quarterback as voted by the region’s coaches
• Led the Panthers to the Class 7-AAAAAAAA state quarterfinals as a senior
• Threw for 2,444 yards and 25 touchdowns while rushing for 630 yards and four scores on the ground his senior season
• Played for former CCU All-American center Nick Johnson at Parkview High School his senior year
• Started his career as the three-year starting quarterback at Peachtree Ridge High School
• Threw for 2,524 yards and 19 touchdowns as a junior and was tabbed second-team 6-AAAAAAA All-Region