Chris Evans – Page 4 – Syndication Server

‘Gonna be elite!’ Michigan defensive players sound off on ‘explosive’ offense

It’s not just the coaches and Milton’s offensive teammates saying the Michigan football offense is ready to take things to another level.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — There’s been a ton of hype surrounding Michigan football’s offense, a unit that’s been nothing more than above average, at best, since Jim Harbaugh took over in 2015.

Now though, with Joe Milton the presumed starter at quarterback and offensive coordinator Josh Gattis entering his second year with the program, the Wolverines may very well be in a position to join the upper echelon of offenses around the country.

It all starts with Milton, but it hasn’t just been the local media or the offensive players who have been enamored with his skillset. Former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer has been singing his praises this offseason, as has fellow FOX Sports personality Matt Leinart.

But those who have been trying to beat Milton in fall camp, the remnants of last year’s No. 11 defense nationally, have nothing but emphatic enthusiasm for the third-year QB and the rest of the players around him.

“Explosive,” fourth-year linebacker Josh Ross said of the offense. “Joe’s one of my good friends and to see him thrive and flourish, it’s been amazing. He’s been practicing really, really well and I can’t wait to see him go out there and ball. Our offense is gonna be elite!”

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High praise, but Ross isn’t alone.

Michigan defensive tackle Carlo Kemp had a lot to say about the offense as a whole having so much promise before eventually speaking similarly on Milton.

“This offense – I’m just excited,” Kemp said. “Because no one has really gotten to see all the talent and all the things that they can do. The only people that know are the people here at practice, and the people on the team and the coaches. But just getting to see these guys play, there’s a lot of chemistry on that side of the ball, as well. There’s just so many good players. At running back, there’s tremendous players. At wide receiver, there’s tremendous players. We’ve got a quarterback leading the offense, leading the entire team in a very special way.

“You look at Joe and you’re just excited for Joe because you know everything he’s gone through to get to this point and we watched him grow since his freshman year. I go back to Joe’s freshman year when he was the scout quarterback and how he led the scout team, you knew one day – ‘OK, this guy, here, when it’s his time, it’ll be his time and it’ll be very special.’ And now he’s grown up into his third-year with those guys he used to lead on that scout team and all of them have developed and gotten better, he’s gotten better himself. It’s like – seeing all of that coming into fruition is incredible.

“What we have at quarterback this year is very special – a very special leader, a very special guy and I’m very excited for him.”

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Have goosebumps yet? Well, Milton isn’t the only offensive player who’s ready to make a big impact.

Though the Wolverines are loaded with talent at wide receiver, tight end and running back, there’s one offensive player who can play multiple roles on offense that has Ross particularly salivating after seeing what he can do in practice.

As he puts it, essentially: meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

“I can’t say you guys haven’t seen him much, because he’s been there, but he’s back this year – and that’s Chris Evans,” Ross said. “He’s gonna have a fabulous year. Has been practicing really well and our whole time practicing in these past few months. He’s gonna make a big impact on Saturdays.”

We’ll see just how good this new-look Michigan offense might be on Saturday, when the Wolverines take on Minnesota at TCF Bank Stadium in primetime.

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How the return of Chris Evans impacts Michigan’s running game in 2020

Michigan football gets senior running back Chris Evans back for the 2020 season. How will his return help the Wolverines offense blow up?

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Last season was supposed to be a big year for Michigan running back Chris Evans. With former starting running back Karan Higdon graduating, Evans was poised to be the starter after years of being a backup or getting the start but not having as many carries as the backups. Sadly, Evans had some academic issues and was forced to miss last season, leaving him on the sidelines.

With him sitting out, freshman Zach Charbonnet had to step up, despite missing spring practices with knee surgery. He wasn’t alone as Hassan Haskins was converting from linebacker over to running back. With the lack of experience in the room, Tru Wilson was named the starting running back in July, but that wouldn’t stick to the wall as Charbonnet would start in the season opener against Middle Tennessee State.

Despite the lack of experience in the running back room last year, Michigan had some great success running the ball with their young players.

Charbonnet finished with 726 yards and 11 touchdowns, along with eight catches for 30 yards. Haskins had 622 yards and four touchdowns, along with six catches for 40 yards. Wilson had 221 yards and a touchdown with two catches for 14 yards. A player who was projected to have a big 2019, Christian Turner, only had 171 yards and a touchdown with four catches for 13 yards.

That running back room will look a bit different this year as Wilson transferred to Northern Colorado, and Turner opted out due to COVID-19. With those two departures, in walks two additions who could make this group even more explosive.

Freshman Blake Corum, who could see some serious playing time after getting 1,266 yards for 19 touchdowns and eight catches for 152 yards and three touchdowns during his senior year in high school.

Then the big return of Evans, who brings a different dynamic to the running back room. Charbonnet and Haskins are both fast running backs, but they aren’t your Chris Johnson type of fast running backs either. They both also had under 10 catches last season, as they weren’t used as receivers.

This isn’t to say that Evans is about to run a 4.24 40-yard dash, but Evans certainly has a different type of speed compared to Charbonnet and Haskins. Corum is a fast player as well, but once again he doesn’t have the receiving experience Evans has.

Evans was looked at as a wide receiver to some scouts back in high school, but at Michigan, he has been a running back that not only can outrun a lot of players, but he can make you miss with his quick feet as he jukes and spins around defenders. Oh and he can catch the ball in the backfield too.

In his career, Evans has run for 1,722 yards for 14 touchdowns and has 40 catches for 392 yards and two touchdowns. What can his role be like in the running back room that has two strong and young running backs and an incoming freshman that is also going to fight for playing time as the speedster? Ask offensive coordinator Josh Gattis.

“We did a lot of things that were similar last year with Giles Jackson, all the different alignments that he aligned on the field,” said Gattis. “You got a guy now in Chris Evans who has the ability to take those as actual hand-offs and not just be in the backfield catching routes coming out of the backfield. You’ve got a guy that can do both and that’s exciting.”

Mind you, Jackson is a wide receiver, not a running back. Last season, Jackson had more touches on the ground than through the air, carrying the ball 10 times for 69 yards and a touchdown, and nine catches for 142 yards and a touchdown. Jackson was used on jet sweeps and the like to get around the defense with his quick feet and acceleration.

Evans brings that to the offense and his speed is built for this offense that Gattis likes to run. Not only does he bring the speed on the ground, but he brings it in the receiving game, something the running backs last year had issues with. Michigan needs to have a running back that can go out and catch a ball if needed. Not that Charbonnet and Haskins couldn’t or didn’t but Evans is better than them when it comes to running routes and doing more than just pounding the rock.

What makes him a fun player in the backfield is you never know what he’s going to do. He can get the handoff and turn on the jets to get a big gain, he can catch a pass and make some people miss with his shiftiness, and he can even block to help give the quarterback time to throw.

Evans is an all-around running back, something this offense could really use. Having strong and quick running backs is great and all, but having some versatility in the backfield is what makes your offense more dangerous. This offense is built on speed in space, and adding another type of weapon that can do just that is what can help make this running back core even stronger after an impressive showing in 2019.

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After years of high school rivalry, Chris Evans still giving Cam McGrone fits

They’ve had a longstanding rivalry going back to their Indianapolis high school days.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Sometimes, as a competitor, you have an opponent you just can’t seem to beat. Of course, Michigan football has its obstacles with a long draught against Ohio State, but some rivalries haunt certain players before they even get to college.

That was the case for Michigan linebacker Cam McGrone, back when he was at Indianapolis (IN) Lawrence Central from 2014-17.

Ben Davis was a tough team to beat and Lawrence Central certainly couldn’t find a way in that timeframe. For McGrone, there was a matchup he found particularly troubling his first few years of going up against the Giants — and it’s one that’s still giving him fits.

All-purpose back Chris Evans.

Now the two are going up against each other once again, but in practice instead of on the playing field. From what McGrone says, despite his personal growth as Michigan’s starting middle linebacker, the senior running back still gets the best of him, despite having to take a year away from football due to academic reasons.

Evans is the Wolverines tailback giving him the most fits during fall camp at the moment.

“Sometimes I have flashbacks of me and Chris Evans in high school, me and him going up against each other,” McGrone said. “Sometimes me and him are lined up against each other and it’s just like – he’s dominating me again. Now I’m just one step behind him sometimes, but he’s definitely out there and he’s definitely ready to get back out there and get after it.”

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The scores when Lawrence Central lined up against Ben Davis were particularly lopsided during McGrone’s entire career there. They played five times in four years, but the 50-36 and 28-22 losses in 2014-15 particularly strike a nerve for McGrone.

And Evans was the one who kept making play after play after play after play.

But now that the two are back on the same team, it’s more of a sibling rivalry more than one on the field. And McGrone is glad to have the fellow Indianapolis native figuratively by his side.

“I never beat him in high school – not once,” McGrone said. “I think it was my sophomore year, he had like 400 yards. I used to be at the same camps as him, he’s coached at some camps I’ve been to. We’ve always been around each other in the city, but when I got up here my freshman year, we were right back at home with each other. We would talk a lot. He’s definitely been like an older brother to me now since I’ve been at Michigan.”

The year away from football was certainly challenging for Evans, and it’s made him strive to make the most of his final season in Ann Arbor. For a moment, it didn’t look like he would have that.

The season was postponed, but essentially it was effectively canceled. Evans was in danger of being two years away from putting on a helmet for any meaningful action.

Now he’s making the most of it, and his first year in Josh Gattis’ offense has given him new life as a dynamic playmaker, McGrone says.

“I truly believe he wants it more than anybody – even more than me,” McGrone said. “He’s had a really rough journey, but he stuck it out. He’s tried his hardest to give back as much as he can with the kids with his foundation and all that. I think from all that you can see how much he really wants this. He’s about to go out there and show them for it.

“They’re really utilizing his speed, his elusiveness. They’re really getting him out in space. I remember yesterday, I saw him and Hassan in the backfield – I was like, ‘Oh, my God! What is going on?’ I’m really excited to see what our offense can do this year.”

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How Chris Evans’ return impacts Michigan’s RB room

A deep room got a little deeper this offseason. How Evans’ return impacts the entire group according to the Wolverines RB coach.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan has something that’s certainly a quality problem at one certain position: running back.

What was an unknown a year ago with two new starters at the position in Zach Charbonnet and Hassan Haskins, now is a unit brimming with possibility. Not only because both of the aforementioned now have experience under their belts, but due to the return of former backup/occasional starter Chris Evans to the team.

Evans was suspended in 2019 due to academic reasons but was reinstated this offseason, getting an opportunity to practice with the team as it prepared to take on Alabama in the VRBO Citrus Bowl. It’s tough to go a year without football, but running backs coach Jay Harbaugh has liked what he’s seen from Evans virtually since he’s rejoined the squad.

“It’s been great to have Chris back – he’s doing an awesome job,” Harbaugh said. “Just getting himself familiarized with everything, learning the new system. Chris is – he’s really into the details of the game. He’s into learning the bigger picture – what are the linemen doing? What’s the defense trying to do? Why do we call this? He’s always asking me extra questions and stuff. His personality and his passion for learning has really suited him well in this time. And he’s equipped to handle not having – he’s able to say, ‘Ok, this play, we used to call this blank,’ whatever. So he’s able to equate things very simply. Sometimes he won’t get something and then he’ll be like, ‘Oh, this is like something we did back against Florida State.’ I’m like, ‘Man, you were a freshman then!’ So it’s pretty impressive how he’s able to do that.”

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Given, however, that there will be five guys vying for one or two positions on the field at any particular time, that’s what creates the quality problem.

Not only are Evans, Charbonnet and Haskins going to see time, you can also expect Christian Turner and true freshman Blake Corum to get carries. Though that seems like something of an issue — trying to decide who sees the field and when — Harbaugh actually appreciates not having obvious decisions to make, because ultimately it should make Michigan better for it.

“In terms of the other part of your question, it’s a blessing to have a great group of guys,” Harbaugh said. “Chris is the crafty vet, he’s got experience and I’m excited for him to be able to share that with the other guys. We’re just gonna keep growing, getting better as a group and keep competing. I know the end result of that is everyone is going to get a lot better. What it comes down to is you need a few guys to be ready to play and crazy things happen over the year, so you need a deep room. One of the things we all love about Coach Gatt is he loves to play multiple backs in two back sets. He’s done that in the past at other places. We did that a little bit last year. I think that we would have done a little bit more if we had just better luck with injuries. I think that’s another thing that leaves the door open for more opportunity and something that our guys are excited about.”

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Power Ranking: Michigan football future NFL draft potential

Where we envision the current crop of Wolverines to be drafted as of today if not much changes between now and next year.

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The 2020 NFL Draft is firmly in the rearview, but that means we can start taking a look towards the 2021 draft for the potential of those currently on the Michigan team.

The Wolverines had a tied second-best haul this past April, sending 10 players to the league — behind only LSU, who had 14. Could 2021 see even more of the maize and blue hear their name called by Commissioner Roger Goodell?

It’s certainly possible, even though Michigan is reloading on both sides of the ball. But, one could argue, that Jim Harbaugh is building a program more adept at sending more players to the pros.

So, we took all of the starter-quality players — and a likely starter, hence we’re not prognosticating a quarterback or a player who’s not the obvious winner at his position — who are entering their third year or beyond to estimate as of right now where they could go in the 2021 NFL Draft.

It’s a feature we very well could update during the season as it progresses.

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Future NFL draft Power Rankings:

1. Jalen Mayfield

Unsurprisingly, the top guy we picked is the one that ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. foresees as a future first-round draft pick.

2019 was Mayfield’s first year as a starter, but he already has the body to be an NFL caliber tackle, and he’s shown his prowess on the offensive line, helping contain Ohio State’s No. 2 pick overall in Chase Young in The Game this past November.

Linemen from either side of the ball from Michigan are more likely to be early-round picks, as evidenced by some of the latest first-round picks in the Jim Harbaugh era: Cesar Ruiz, Rashan Gary and Taco Charlton. Yes, Jabrill Peppers and Devin Bush Jr. were also first-rounders, but when you also look at the other early rounds, that’s where we’ve seen players like Josh Uche, Chase Winovich and Chris Wormley picked.

Given his upside and the fact that he’s only played one year as a starter and is looked at so highly at this juncture, Mayfield has the ability to potentially capitalize on an early departure if predictions hold true.

Where we see him as of now?

We’re going with Kiper and slating him as a first-round pick if he does choose to leave early, assuming he continues his level of play in 2020.

NEXT: An early-round wide receiver off the board?

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Jay Harbaugh breaks down Michigan’s RB room at great length

A thorough breakdown of what each of the Wolverines RB are best at, where they are in their development and how they’ll be utilized in 2020.

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Michigan has something of an embarrassment of riches in its running backs room.

While there isn’t one breakout player as of current, a feature back, the Wolverines enter 2020 with four-to-five guys who can be difference-makers any give Saturday.

In 2019, we saw significant production from both Hassan Haskins and Zach Charbonnet, as they combined for 1,348 yards on the ground and 15 rushing touchdowns to go along with 14 receptions for 70 yards through the air. But back in the mix is Chris Evans, a redshirt senior who missed last season with suspension. In his three years of play, Evans has 304 carries for 1,722 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns as well as 40 receptions for 392 yards and two touchdowns through the air.

That’s not even mentioning third-year tailback Christian Turner, who was sidelined with injury throughout much of his time in Ann Arbor, and early-enrollee Blake Corum, the four-star from Baltimore who has the potential to be a star-player in his own right.

Managing a loaded room

Speaking with Jon Jansen on his weekly In the Trenches podcast, Michigan running backs coach Jay Harbaugh is excited about having such a loaded room, with so many potential contributors.

He shares how the competition will play a big role and how it should enhance the position come fall.

“The big thing right now – not that it’s super different from last year or the year before – but tremendous competition,” Harbaugh said. “You have guys now that are coming back that have played. Three guys that have really played substantial snaps and a really talented incoming freshman. So you have a group that’s highly capable. There’s gonna be great competition.

“And it’s exciting as a coach, because they all love to get after it. They love football, they love the team, they play a selfish position unselfishly. They help each other out. They really bring out the best in each other and we put together a good spring with that kind of mindset and same through summer and fall camp, I think the result will be really special.”

One of the big things about having five running backs each with a unique skillset is the possibility of getting multiple on the field at the same time.

Since he arrived last January, offensive coordinator Josh Gattis spoke at length about putting the defense in conflict. With five players with myriad abilities, it’s possible that we see multiple backs on the field at the same time in 2020, Harbaugh says.

“Yeah, that’s something we did a little bit, and Coach Gattis’ background, he’s been around some of that and done some of that,” Harbaugh said. “So we would love to do it. To do that, you have to have the guys, like you’re saying, that create that type of confusion, they create that conflict. I think that we do. So it would be good to get involved with that in spring. Selfishly, as the running back coach, you love having your guys out there. I’m sure, if you could play with seven linemen, you would love to do that! I think it’s something if it helps us win, if Coach Gattis sees it as a way for us to score points, then we’ll be ready for it.”

From there, Harbaugh spoke at length about each different tailback, what they bring to the table, where they’re at in their development, and how they all fit into the grand scheme of the offense.

Starting with returning senior Chris Evans.

Read about Evans’ return on the next page.

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What impresses Chris Evans about Michigan’s younger running backs

What impresses the returning senior about the (new to him) tailbacks in the RB room.

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BRIGHTON, Mich. — What was once seen as a perceived weakness very well should be a team strength for Michigan in 2020.

Though the Wolverines lose Tru Wilson to transfer, the running backs room returns most everyone, particularly co-starters from a year ago in Zach Charbonnet and Hassan Haskins,

And they get another productive piece back, with Chris Evans’ reinstatement.

Evans returns a senior, with three years playing experience, and speaking with WolverinesWire on Saturday, he thinks the sky’s the limit for this emerging group.

“Real good,” Evans said. “We’re gonna push each other every day. Nobody’s gonna try to be the tough guy. We’re all gonna keep everything in the room. That’s how we’re gonna do it.”

He already has an inkling of what Haskins can do, having spent a year with him — though the third-year back spent much of his first year with the linebackers.

But Evans got to watch his team from afar while he was serving his one-year suspension, getting to see now-second-year tailback Zach Charbonnet ball out in his first season of college football.

Given his experience, what are Evans’ impressions of Charbonnet? Obviously, all great things.

“He’s a really good player,” Evans said. “Good pass protector, especially at a young age. Being able to see it – I really couldn’t see everything. At a young age, he’s very mature and carries himself well. I’m excited to be a part of it.”

In December, as Michigan prepared to take on Alabama in the VRBO Citrus Bowl, a loophole allowed Evans to participate in three practices, though he had not rejoined the team in official capacity just yet. But he wasn’t alone in that.

Big things are expected of recently signed four-star RB Blake Corum, who showed out in his senior year at Baltimore (MD) St. Frances Academy. Corum also partook in those three practices, and Evans likes what he’s seen from the guy who should still be in high school.

As a matter of fact, he sees a lot of the 2016 version of himself in Corum.

“(He’s) good – he got a mature mind in his head,” Evans said. “He’s all about work, just grind, grind, grind. As an older guy, you got no choice but to match him. It’s good to have a younger guy, because that’s how I was when I came in. Trying to push against the older guys, push against the older guys. I’m just gonna match his intensity.”

Chris Evans reacts to Michigan football reinstatement

The senior shares what it’s been like to return to the program after serving a one-year suspension.

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BRIGHTON, Mich. — Michigan got good news late last year when it was announced that running back Chris Evans was being reinstated to the university as well as the football program.

What seemed like an uphill battle ended up being won ultimately, and now the senior tailback is officially back with the team, back in class and now back in winter conditioning after having had a year away.

This weekend, Evans was back in the coaching chair, working with his non-profit CE Stars 7-on-7 youth teams, and while he’s overjoyed to continue his work on that front, he’s just as elated to return to the football field again as a player.

“Feels real good,” Evans told WolverinesWire. “One step at a time. Just ready to go. Ready to get it going.”

Losing what you love can be more than challenging, and Evans certainly endured said challenges.

Being away from the game in a playing capacity required him to push through a ‘dark place,’ a place he refused to entertain. So he did what he knew: he worked, confident in his eventual return.

Now that he’s back, he’s learned all the requisite lessons, and he’s looking to make the most of his opportunity redux in Ann Arbor.

“I’m real excited,” Evans said. “I feel like what happened to me has helped me for the better. Matured me. A lot of people don’t get second chances and I’m blessed to get it.”

Now a redshirt senior, Evans vows to be a leader on an offense that is suddenly very young.

Seniors Shea Patterson, Ben Bredeson, Jon Runyan Jr. and Sean McKeon are all gone, now trying their hand at getting into the NFL. Donovan Peoples-Jones and Cesar Ruiz are doing the same, leaving a year of eligibility on the table in the process. While there will be some established bodies still on that side of the ball — Nico Collins announced his return for his senior season earlier this month, and Nick Eubanks did the same in December — Evans is adamant that he use his experience to help the team — and not just on the playing field.

“The older guys can be leaders,” he said. “I’m gonna try to step into that role as soon as I feel everything out. Push the young guys, push the guys that are slacking off – get it like that.”

But, of course, the playing aspect plays a big part.

Away from the game for a year-plus now, Evans got his first opportunity to strap on a winged helmet and put on pads and everything for three practices in December, as Michigan readied to play Alabama in the VRBO Citrus Bowl.

While he couldn’t rejoin his teammates in Orlando, it was a primer of what’s to come. And though he kept himself in pristine shape — he looks precisely the same as when he last strapped up to play Florida in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in December 2018 — it was still something of a shock to the system.

“My body wasn’t used to running around that much, especially with the pads on,” Evans said. “Then running around, then standing. Running around, standing. It was good to get that going.”

But there’s another element that Evans has to relearn — or, rather, learn entirely now that he’s back: the offense.

Michigan changed its offensive attack last January, just as Evans was going on hiatus, as it hired Josh Gattis to oversee a new, spread-oriented system. As Evans’ first real taste of it as a player came during those December practices. And so far, he’s a fan of the new system.

“I like it,” Evans said. “It’s more spread out. Like you said, ‘speed in space,’ and I’m gonna attack it wherever they need me at.”

So, given his versatility — when Evans arrived in 2016, he was considered more of an ‘athlete’ with no designated role, as he could play tailback or wideout — how does he feel like he fits into Gattis’ scheme?

Turns out, he thinks it suits him quite perfectly.

“I think it’s really good – it’s the type of player I am, it’s the type of style I am,” Evans said. “Of course it’s a change, but we all gotta make changes, adjust on the fly.”

Evans will continue going through winter conditioning until Michigan can suit up again in March, when it begins spring ball.

Michigan RB Chris Evans builds fledging 7-on-7 team into a behemoth

The senior Wolverines running back has turned a small idea into a big reality with his youth football organization.

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BRIGHTON, Mich. — Back in the summer of 2018, Michigan running back Chris Evans had debuted his newfound passion, CE Stars, a 7-on-7 youth team that he had put together after he scoured Michigan — nearly the whole state — for talent that could be cultivated.

It was a huge endeavor, especially for a college football player about to enter his third year in Ann Arbor.

They took the field late at the SoundMind SoundBody camp with recently offered 2023 quarterback Dante Moore, who was just entering his final year of middle school. And they put on a show.

Weeks later, in Wyandotte, he invited groups from around the country to play against his group of selected talent — not just good players, but players who wanted to work and get better. With former Michigan pass game coordinator Pep Hamilton’s son leading the way at quarterback for one of his under-12 teams, Evans worked closely with the then-Wolverines staffer, as well as fellow RB Karan Higdon.

A few short months later, a fledgling operation started to look more and more like a behemoth.

With teams in Indianapolis and southeast Michigan, Evans hosted his own CE Stars 7-on-7 tournament in Waterford in January 2019, with teams coming from all over the country. What was once just a handful of teams participating blossomed into an all-day, full on showcase of young talent. Present even was Michigan State offensive coordinator Brad Salem, whose son was one of many partaking.

Evans’ once fledgling desire to coach and build something was on full display of dreams turning into reality. Now, he has hundreds of kids under his tutelage, following his mindset of being a hard-worker while getting better step-by-step at football.

“We start down at 6 year-olds, we go 7-8-9, then we go 11-12-14-15-high school,” Evans told WolverinesWire at the R1SE Midwest Showcase, where he had multiple teams participating in 7-on-7 competitions, in 24 games in total. “We got over 320 kids in our program from Indiana to Michigan. That’s what we do, we just keep striving, just trust the process. They start when they young and they go all the way through the program.”

One of the CE Stars 7-on-7 teams poses after playing three-straight games on Saturday.

Evans himself has had a tough road, having to endure a one-year suspension from the University of Michigan and the football program he was determined to return to.

He’s now made all of his amends, having returned to campus and the team this month. But while the road back to Ann Arbor was a challenge all its own, more impressive is what Evans has built in the interim — especially considering the humbling beginnings of his idea-turned-reality.

Now he has a machine, which suits him well given that he has both academics and football to work on, again, himself. What he’s made is bigger than him, and he’s surrounded himself with plenty of football minds and other creative talent to help him along the way. That includes former Michigan CB Raymon Taylor, who’s the defensive coordinator for one of his teams.

“When I first had been with it, it was a lot hands-on,” Evans said. “Now I’ve got a great group of coaches and communication directors and music directors. I’ve got a great group on board. Sometimes all I gotta do is show up and motivate the kids, get the kids hype. Because last year, I was picking kids up, running here, running there. It took a lot of time away from me. Gives me a chance to just check everything out, make sure everything is running smooth.”

CE Stars is a non-profit organization, with, as mentioned on its website, takes a holistic approach to youth development by using sports to engage the Mental, Physical, Spiritual aspects of life while focusing on the person before the performer. Our staff will leverage their own on-field and professional experiences to ensure your student athlete is COLLECTIVELY EVOLVING.

The various teams are continuing to play on Sunday at the R1SE Midwest Showcase at Legacy Center Sports Complex in Brighton, playing against teams from all over the country.

Harbaugh: RB Chris Evans ‘looked good’ in return to team

The Wolverines running back looks like he hasn’t missed a beat, according to the head coach.

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Michigan’s running backs room is loaded, returning nearly everyone from the 2019 roster — at least that we know of.

Starters Zach Charbonnet and Hassan Haskins return, as do fullbacks/h-backs Ben Mason and Ben VanSumeren — though the latter was working with the tight ends during bowl prep in December. Christian Turner didn’t make the trip to Orlando, with a team spokesman citing injury as the reason, but there’s yet to be any indication that he won’t be on the roster in 2020. The only departure at this juncture is Tru Wilson, who announced he would be transferring for his fifth-year.

But the Wolverines get something of a boon at the position, with one player returning with 1,722 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns under his belt.

Running back Chris Evans.

Evans was suspended for academic issues in 2019, but he’s made his way back to school and the team. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, speaking to reporters at a coaches clinic in Lansing on Thursday night, shared his excitement at getting Evans back into the fold after a solid three-year start.

Per The Detroit News’ Angelique Chengelis:

“He looked like he was in good shape,” Harbaugh said. “He was a busy guy working two jobs and coaching football and working out and coaching at Huron. Coaching some kids, too. He stayed busy. He stayed active. High level of activity.”

Evans is now fully back with the team, and even got three practices under his belt, joining those early-enrollees who were able to participate in the team’s bowl prep.

Harbaugh said he liked what he saw from the senior running back in his return.

“He looked good in the three days he was able to practice for bowl practice,” Harbaugh said. “It’s a good story. Stuck with it. Can be destroyed but you can’t be defeated. Only if you quit. He did not do that. Optimistic and excited about that.”

The biggest hurdle for Evans will be continuing to improve, battling for a position on the depth chart with players who didn’t take a year off of football.

But given that he kept himself in shape while honing his football knowledge, all bets are that Evans will be ready to go once the season arrives.