I would love to say the whole story can be told.

The Blue-White game concluded spring practices Saturday. In terrifically sunny and short-sleeves weather, Payne had the moment of the day. More succinctly, the best chance to make a huge impression in front of about 16,000 fans.

Payne from 58 yards. You kidding?

Last year, the freshman kicker couldn't have connected from that distance with two attempts added up.

He was inconsistent, he was injured, he was not trusted from anywhere near that gaudy distance.

Too bad none of us media types could find him afterward, as so many players lounged around signing autographs and talking with fans who were juiced to have fall feel so close.

As for that long boot -- man, did it come close. The flat-line shot had to fight through a slight headwind, and then it struck the crossbar flush.

Who knows if that just-missed sums up Payne's future at BYU? He hustled out of the stadium, into the weekend. Or, at least no one could spot him among the army roaming LaVell Edwards Stadium after the hour-long practice.

It wouldn't be quite proper to call it a scrimmage. None of the standouts played, leaving the showtime mostly to younger players --"rising stars" in head coach Bronco Mendenhall's terminology.

The fight to be kicker will be muddied in the late summer, when highly touted Justin Sorensen arrives.

Talk to 10 people at a BYU practice, scrimmage, or just about anywhere Cougar football is being discussed, and a solid seven --maybe eight -- figure the job is Sorensen's.

Not so fast, says two key players in the outcome. One of them is Sorensen, who is healing from a sprained ankle suffered recently to his left (plant) foot as he finishes up high school life at Bingham.

"I don't think people are giving Mitch enough credit," said Sorensen, who gets no shortage of praise for his status as arguably the best prep booter in the country. "He's worked really, really hard. It definitely won't be a walk-in-and-take-the-job type thing."

Mendenhall has had no problem being blunt with the Payne-ful issues of last season. But he's been pleased with the sophomore's work ethic and leadership. Payne, however, must continue to prove himself. He did not get Saturday off.

"Not only is his strength better, but his consistency is better," Mendenhall said. "He certainly knows what's at stake. He knows we recruited to that position. It will be his opportunity to hold his spot. Through competition, it will be played out in the fall."

Of all places, it's at kicker where Mendenhall's ongoing roster success can be summed up.

He didn't play the big boys, fearful of injuries to guys like quarterback Max Hall. BYU isn't deep enough yet to overcome that type of catastrophe.

But it can some others, which is a very good sign. Austin Collie, one of the untouchables yesterday, raved about BYU's depth -- and not just at his spot of wide receiver.

So did fans, who witnessed the best overall collection of talent in several years even if it was the most boring spring game in recent memory. Young players like J.J. DiLuigi, a freshman running back who was injured before last season, looked sharp moving around with the football.

And he's not a threat at this point to starter Harvey Unga.

It goes on down the line. Depth has created some comfort. An injury is not an end-all to the game plan. The level of athletes compiled by Mendenhall and his staff is also creating competition within the team before it sets out to defeat others.

That's a very good thing.

And we didn't need Payne, who will have his work cut out for him the next few months, to tell us that.