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Brandon Payne, a University of New Mexico alumnus, has been named the head coach of Papago Junior College in Maricopa County, Arizona, the Papago football program announced on Twitter on Wednesday.

Payne, 37, is in his first head coaching job for the Pumas, who are in their second year of existence in the Hohokam Junior College Athletic Conference. Last year, he worked as the special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach at Maricopa Junior College that went 6-3, also in the HJCAC. Papago went 2-6 last year.

Before Maricopa, Payne had a two-year stint at Ottawa University in Arizona and one year at New Mexico Military Institute.

Payne played for the Lobos 2003-04 as a cornerback. He was a Jim Thorpe semifinalist in 2004, when he was also a Walter Camp All-American. He is the second defensive back to be named an All-American in UNM football history, with Brian Urlacher, a Pro Football Hall of Famer.

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