-- A lot of talented high school football players miss their chance at a shot in college football by the smallest of margins.

Cameron Artis-Payne

came close to falling in that category.

A big senior season at Harrisburg (Penn.) High had failed to land Artis-Payne any big offers, hampered by grades and a lack of an established resume.

He spent a little less than two years away from the game. By the time he turned 20, Artis-Payne seemed stuck, living at home, working out and hoping some school would take a flyer on him.

Then the call came.

"One of my old high school coaches, he knew one of the coaches out in California," Artis-Payne said. "They happened to mention one day that they needed a running back. Him knowing that I still wanted to play and I was still working out, he called me up and asked me if I wanted to go."

Artis-Payne didn't have to be asked twice.

BUMPY ROAD

Artis-Payne's road to the SEC took a few twists and turns.

Originally stuck at Bishop McDevitt behind current Eagles running back LeSean McCoy, according

, Artis-Payne transferred back to Harrisburg High before his senior season.

A big-time basketball player in high school, Artis-Payne says he thought his best chance at a college scholarship was on the basketball court. The way the running back remembers it, former Harrisburg High coach

George Chaump

came to his house to make sure Artis-Payne continued to play football.

"(Chaump) came to my house my senior year," Artis-Payne said. "He just showed up there and I didn’t even know who he was. He told me he wanted me to play, and I said alright."

Chaump knew exactly what he had in the short, powerful back. Installed as the lead back almost immediately, Artis-Payne rushed for 1,953 yards and 31 touchdowns on just 255 carries as a senior in 2007.

His numbers were huge. Problems with his grades kept him from fielding the kind of offers that fit his senior season.

"If I had better grades, I probably would have been playing basketball somewhere, but I didn’t at the time," Artis-Payne said. "That’s what stopped me from going out."

Unable to find a landing spot at the collegiate level, Artis-Payne enrolled at Milford Academy, a prep school in New Berlin, N.Y., and rushed for 278 yards and three touchdowns in five games in 2008.

No offers came his way again.

But Artis-Payne refused to give up on the plan of playing in college, even though he spent the better part of the next two years living at home, working out and waiting for a call.

"It was definitely a transition, but it just was me working out the whole time," Artis-Payne said. "I was still in shape, and I was ready to play right away."

Allan Hancock (Calif.) Community College gave him the chance he needed.

BREAKOUT STAR

Bringing a 20-year-old back with little to no experience and a full year away from the game is a risk for any junior college.

Artis-Payne made it clear from the beginning that Allan Hancock Community College made the right decision.

Handed the lead role out of the Bulldogs' backfield, Artis-Payne immediately rushed for 1,364 yards and 18 touchdowns in his return to football in 2011. Halfway through that year, big-time coaches started recruiting him.

He wasn't sure how to handle it at first.

"I’ve never been a highly-ranked, highly-touted guy, so it was as surprise for me," Artis-Payne said. "It was all new, too."

Any doubt left by his first season was erased when Artis-Payne rushed for a school-record 2,048 yards and 25 touchdowns. Offers started pouring in, particularly from nearly every Pac-12 school, plus a few from the Big East.

By the time the recruiting cycle picked up, Artis-Payne was being widely mentioned as the nation's No. 1 junior college running back.

"I never really thought that far ahead. I just played each game," Artis-Payne said. "Being out of football two years, I just enjoyed playing, period. Once my phone started ringing every day, then I was like ‘oh well, maybe I’m doing something good.’"

NEXT STEP

Choosing a school was easy for Artis-Payne, who badly wanted to test himself in the SEC. Once Auburn offered him a scholarship, Artis-Payne started counting down the days until he could enroll.

The first thing Artis-Payne noticed was that his first name sounded a little different. Artis-Payne has always gone by Cam, but he's been Cameron ever since he arrived, mainly because Auburn already has its own Cam.

On the field, Auburn offered opportunity, particularly when

Gus Malzahn

took over as head coach. Malzahn's hurry-up, no-huddle offense likes to carve out roles for several running backs, and Artis-Payne, at more than 210 pounds, brings a dimension that complements the Tigers' returning 1,000-yard rusher,

Tre Mason

.

"He's a physical, tough guy," Malzahn said. "That's what stood out to me. He's learning the offense. I really like his attitude and he's a downhill guy."

His teammates have taken notice, too.

Artis-Payne runs hard, fighting and clawing for every inch and yard of real estate. That kind of play earns respect right away.

"Hard-nosed, doesn't go down very easily, keeps moving his feet," Tigers hybrid safety

Justin Garrett

said. "I just know he runs hard at practice, tries his hardest not to go down."

Auburn running back Cameron Artis-Payne prepares for the snap during the Tigers' practice Wednesday. (Julie Bennett/al.com)

Because of Artis-Payne's time away from football, he's already the old man of Auburn's running group at 22. He'll be 23 in the fall.

Few players in the SEC appreciate the opportunity more.

"I definitely feel like this is the right time for me to be here in my life," Artis-Payne said. "If it was a couple of years ago, I don’t know if I would be as focused as I am now."

Nearly missing out on a shot at the big-time makes an impact.

And Artis-Payne doesn't want to miss this one.

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