By MARK MOLINA| The Brownsville Herald
It’s no surprise that the Hanna Golden Eagles’ offense has flourished under first-year offensive coordinator Damian Vela. With inherited tools such as talented up-and-coming quarterback Victor Campos (junior) and a core of bruising running backs highlighted by Cesar Mancias and Aaron Frausto; Vela has turned a good offense into one of the best offenses in the Rio Grande Valley.
While that trio is enough to get any coordinator excited, the Hanna assistant has had the most fun with senior wide receiver Miguel Payan, who has proven to be an interchangeable athlete on the field this season.
“ Payan being multi-talented and being able to be on the field anywhere has made my job easier being a first-time offensive coordinator,” Vela said. “I can plug him in at running back, wide receiver of course and he started two games at quarterback for us and did a great job of managing the game. He’s a jack-of-all-trades and I love him — he’s the equivalent of a utility player in baseball.”
It’s quite the list of duties, but Payan has embraced the role not just for himself, but for the good of the team.
“ It’s been good because the team expects me to do a lot of things for them and I get them done,” Payan said. “Whenever they call on me, I have to do as I’m told and do that to the best of my ability. Over the years I’ve played different positions and it works out here in high school now.”
For the season, Payan has 24 receptions for 507 yards and seven touchdowns through the air, 117 yards rushing, 75 yards and one touchdown through the air.
Payan is mainly a skill player, but he also is the team’s primary kicker, which is a big reason why he led the district in scoring with 87 total points, including 31 extra points, three field goals and as a punter he averages 37.8 yards per punt.
Vela also joked during practice that Payan could be a pulling guard. He hasn’t done that, but has lined up as a defensive end as a sophomore and played defensive back as a junior where he recorded an interception, sack and a fumble recovery.
There are plenty of numbers on that resume, but Vela said Payan is humble through it all and is never one to be selfish.
“ He’s the last guy to be concerned with stats or individual accolades,” Vela said. “He just wants to win and that’s what his mentality is all about.”
Humble doesn’t mean Payan isn’t capable of lighting up the stats sheet.
In a win over Harlingen High back on Oct. 13 where he hauled in 14 catches for 208 yards, two touchdowns, made a 35-yard field goal and drilled five extra points.
It’s those types of performances that head coach Mark Guess fortunate someone like Payan is on his team.
“ Anytime you have one of those kinds of guys, it really makes your job a lot easier when it comes to trying to substitute at certain positions or putting someone as a starter in some positions,” Guess said. “He’s very football smart and he’s able to pick things up and he’s very athletic. He also plays soccer so he’s a very good athlete and he possesses the skills to be able to play quarterback, receiver and running back. Of course with the leg he has, I believe he can kick them with best of anybody in the state I believe.
“ He’s the type of guy that if something bad happens at the quarterback position or on the defensive side of the ball, there’s somewhere where we can put him.”
If Payan had to choose one position where he feels most comfortable right now it would be at receiver, where he has been the most effective, numbers-wise, due in large part to the relationship he has built with Campos.
However, the Golden Eagles’ Swiss Army Knife doesn’t have to choose just one position and insists he is always ready to go out and make a play, no matter at what position that may be.
“ I just have to come out and work hard,” Payan said. “The team expects a high standard of me and I just do it to the best of my ability and get it done. I think about it just as it’s my field and I get to do my own things — that’s how I look at it.”
GIVING CREDIT
Offensive Coordinator Damian Vela is in his first year as an offensive coordinator and the offense has been as good as any in the Rio Grande Valley.
While Vela has his fingerprints on the offense, he gives plenty of credit to his predecessor Steve Marroquin, who laid the foundation for the Eagles’ offense last season before taking a job at San Benito this season.
“ (Marroquin) is the one who implemented this system,” Vela said. “I’ve just taken it and made it my own a little bit, but the foundation was set by Marroquin. We adopted his system and I’ve put in my little kinks here and there.”
San Benito and Hanna finished No. 1 and No. 2 in total offense within District 32-6A. The Greyhounds averaged 417 yards per game and the Eagles averaged 401.