JMU Lands Sherando LB Bauer
His name is perfectly appropriate for the linebacker spot.
“That’s what they tell me,” Sherando’s (Stephens City) Payne Bauer said with a chuckle Tuesday shortly after announcing his commitment to James Madison via Twitter.
“I’ve been hearing that since I started playing,” he said.
Bauer was the Northwestern District Defensive Player of the Year and a Virginia High School League Class 4 All-State first-team choice this past fall for his 93 tackles, 41 tackles for loss and 12 sacks.
He’s the 19th pledge in the class for JMU and the second linebacker the Dukes have taken in the 2020 recruiting cycle. Bauer said he is going to sign his Letter of Intent on Wednesday during National Signing Day.
“I went to a camp there over the summer,” Bauer said. “And when I went to camp, I walked out of the tunnel there [at Bridgeforth Stadium] and I just got chills, so at that point I told my friends that this was where I want to be.”
Bauer took a couple of trips to Harrisonburg since his summer visit, including in October for JMU’s win over Towson and this past weekend to check in with the coaching staff. He said his lead recruiter is Dukes wide receivers coach Mike Shanahan and that linebackers coach Bryant Haines also played a part in the process.
Bauer said he was able to speak with Haines and defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman about the 4-2-5 defensive system JMU uses.
“So my favorite type of defense is to have four down linemen,” Bauer said. “And that’s what they run, and Coach Haines let us know that he sends a lot of pressure. For me, one of my favorite things to do in football is have a tackle behind the line [of scrimmage] and they were like top five for every defensive stat.
“That defense just flies around and makes plays.”
The 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker had other offers, too. He said Alabama A&M, Duquesne, Georgetown, New Hampshire, St. Francis and VMI all offered before he took Dukes up on their opportunity.
Bauer said playing for a winning program was important to him. JMU has reached three of the last four FCS national championship games.
“It was close to home and they play big-time football,” Bauer said. “That’s really what it came down to. I wanted to win more than anything, so I didn’t want to go far away to lose a lot of games.”
He said his best friend is Hunter Entsminger, a freshman on the JMU baseball team, and that on his most recent trip to Harrisonburg he got to know Dukes offensive lineman Tanner Morris, who served as Bauer’s official visit host. Through Morris, Bauer said he was introduced to defensive end Jalen Green and running back Latrele Palmer.
“I had other offers and from good programs, but nothing was better than JMU,” Bauer added.