Note: The following appears in the Louisville football gameday program.
Upon his arrival at Clemson in 2021, defensive tackle Payton Page weighed a few pounds shy of 400. Despite being able to simply overpower his offensive counterparts in high school due to his size, he knew that losing weight to maintain his athleticism would go a long way in college.
Three years later, he weighs 310 pounds and is a key piece of the Tiger defensive line. Recording his first career start against Georgia this season and starting every game since, Page contributes not only his size, but also his quickness off the snap to an already talented defensive unit.
Page grew up in Greensboro, N.C., where he attended Dudley High School, the alma mater of Clemson football legend and P.A.W. Journey founder Jeff Davis. His size and build allowed him to naturally default to football, where he found great success in the trenches. By his senior year, he held a national top-40 listing by ESPN.com and was a four-star recruit according to all services.
Offered by other top programs, Clemson’s strong family culture is what drew him to the Upstate, as he turned down offers from North Carolina and Tennessee to become a Tiger.
“It was the most family-oriented school I was considering. Everywhere else I visited felt so serious and even sort of depressing, but when I visited Clemson and saw people’s families showing up to watch practice or be at an event, I knew this was the place for me.”
While seeing playing time in all but one game during each of his first two seasons and recording double-digit defensive snaps in every game last season, Page had yet to be named a starter until this season unfolded.
“When I first got here, I had a lot of people in front of me…Bryan Bresee, Tyler Davis and Ruke Orhorhoro to name a few. Back then, I was more upset having to sit and wait my turn. But now that I’m older, I actually see that I needed to do that. I needed to sit behind those guys to learn from them and ask questions, so that I could be ready when my time came.”
Sitting and waiting his turn has undoubtedly paid off, as he can now call himself a starter for one of the most consistently premier defensive lines in the country. Noting the recognition he has gained and the legacy he can leave, Page is determined to write his own chapter in an already storied position room.
“You walk with a different kind of swagger when it’s your time. Now it’s my time, and I walk with that different kind of swagger, knowing I’m supposed to be out there because of all the work I put in to get there.
“I know all the people who have been here and I know the legacy that’s behind it. We can also add our own part to that legacy and not just run behind their legacy.”
As a senior and veteran player, #55 acknowledges the impact he can have on both those around him and those younger than him. Realizing that people may not always listen but are always watching, he holds himself to a high standard in the way he leads by example.
“Growing up, I was never really the type to lead vocally. I know how to be vocal and can be vocal when I need to, but I’m the type to lead by example. That’s the best way to lead…you can say whatever you want, but no one is going to follow you if you can’t back it up on the field.
“When I was younger, I looked up to Ruke (Orhorhoro), Tyler (Davis) and Bryan (Bresee). Now that I’m one of the older guys, I’m filling that role that these guys once filled for me. There are a lot of young and talented defensive tackles on this team, and I’ve taken a few of them under my wing.”
Off the field, Page is one of the newest P.A.W. Journey ambassadors, having just recently been accepted into the program. Regardless of having ties with Davis, Page jokingly admitted that he would not let him in the program as a freshman.
“Jeff Davis and I go way back. He went to my same high school, and I met him before I even started high school. When I first got to Clemson, he wouldn’t let me into P.A.W. Journey, because he knew I wasn’t ready and wasn’t mature enough yet. He told me to apply again in three years.
“I waited three years and applied again, and he let me in this time. After that, our relationship has grown.”
Although a new ambassador, Page already sees the ways that role is growing him into a more complete individual, beyond just a football player. He also sees the impact it has had and the merit it has gained beyond Clemson.
“I’ve noticed how much of a hold it has on people outside the facility and program. When people hear about P.A.W. Journey, they realize you’re doing something extra, something beyond just playing football.”
As the Tigers progress into the second half of the regular season, Page looks to continue walking with the different kind of swagger he has found so far this year as a starter. His contributions to the defensive front do not go unnoticed, as both himself and the unit as a whole look to leave their own legacy.
