Tag: Desmond Evans

UNC football players chosen for East-West Shrine Bowl watchlist

The UNC football team will be well-represented in January 2025’s East-West Shrine Bowl.

After months of anticipation build for the start of college football, the next season is over just like that.

Teams exceed their preseason rankings and end up playing for a championship, favorites fail to live up to the hype and new stars are born. Bowl season follows a regular-season full of surprises – in 2024, there’s more anticipation due to the expanded, 12-team College Football Playoff.

With the departure of Drake Maye, Devontez Walker and Cedric Gray to the NFL, many North Carolina Tar Heel fans are wondering how the football season will pan out in Chapel Hill. There’s plenty of new – and returning – talent on both sides of the ball, highlighted by running back Omarion Hampton and linebacker Kaimon Rucker.

After UNC’s season ends, hopefully in a rare bowl victory, the East-West Shrine Bowl gives future NFL Draft hopefuls one last shot at collegiate gameplay – this time in front of NFL Executives. Recent stars from the Shrine Bowl include 2-time Super Bowl champion Isiah Pacheco and speedy wideout Zay Flowers.

Just over six months away from the 2025 Shrine Bowl, which will be played January 30 next year at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, 12 North Carolina football players were named to the Shrine Bowl 1000.

Desmond Evans, the Class of 2020’s second-ranked player overall, recorded 33 total tackles (18 solo), five tackles for loss and three sacks in 12 games played last year. Bryson Nesbit, expected to be a top tight end taken in the 2025 NFL Draft, led UNC tight ends with 585 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 2023.

Rucker will lead the defense this coming season. He returns 61 tackles (34 solo), a team-high 15 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks from 2023. Power Echols, expected to be another defensive standout, returns 102 tackles (60 solo) and 5.5 tackles for loss.

Nate McCollum, expected to step into a larger starting role this year, caught 44 passes for 469 yards and a touchdown in 2023. Kevin Hester Jr., a starting defensive tackle, brings 30 tackles (12 solo) into the 2024 campaign.

J.J. Jones will likely be the Tar Heels’ top wideout. He led North Carolina with 711 receiving yards last season, plus he added three touchdown. Alijah Huzzie, who transferred in from East Tennessee State before 2023, led UNC with three interceptions last year.

Willie Lampkin is arguably the Tar Heels’ top offensive lineman, as he was named 2023 Third Team All-ACC and started all 11 games he appeared in last year. Antavious “Stick” Lane transferred into Chapel Hill ahead of the 2023 season, recording 62 tackles (33 solo) and three for loss, while NC State transfer Jakeen Harris brings 80 total tackles, eight deflected passes and three interceptions with him from Raleigh.

Last but not least, Texas A&M transfer Max Johnson will be competing for North Carolina’s starting quarterback job with Conner Harrell. He carries a ton of experience and talent with him – 5,853 passing yards, 47 touchdowns, 22 starts and four years of SEC football.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Desmond Evans living up to his billing as 5-star prospect

UNC defensive end Desmond Evans, formerly the top high school player in North Carolina, is finally living up to his 5-star billing.

When a 5-star prospect hits campus, the expectation is typically that they’ll be able to contribute immediately.

Those prospects are the most recruited out of high school, with coaches always coming to their games and inviting them to campus for a taste of the college game day experience.

UNC defensive lineman Desmond Evans is one of those 5-star players. He was the Class of 2020 top-ranked North Carolina high school player, plus the country’s overall top defensive end.

It appeared the Tar Heels finally found that defensive line difference-maker they’d been searching for since Julius Peppers.

Evans produces when on the field, but nowhere close to the numbers of a former 5-star. He has just two sacks and 65 tackles (seven for loss) over four years.

This season, however, Evans feels he’s finally playing up to his billing.

“I’ve got a tattoo on my shoulder right here, Luke 12:48, and it basically says, ‘to whom much is given, much is required,’ ” Evans told Inside Carolina’s Evan Rogers. “So I’ve got to produce at a high level. It ain’t nothing wrong with it. It’s just the way it is.”

Evans’ in-game performance backs up his word. He already has a sack (season-opener against South Carolina), 12 tackles (second-most among defensive linemen) and two pass breakups (tied for third on team). He was a lone bright spot on defense in the App State matchup, tying a career-best with six tackles.

“For two weeks in a row, Des Evans has played great,” Mack Brown told Inside Carolina. “He was the player of the game defensively (against App State). He’s playing with a high motor, he’s playing with a lot of confidence.”

Evans’ improvement also caught the eye of his defensive coordinator, Gene Chizik.

“I feel like he has a completely different understanding of his best attributes as a pass rusher,” Chizik told InsideCarolina. “He totally understands more so than he did last year on what he’s best at. Pass rushers don’t have six things they’re great at. They get good at one or two things, and they usually have a counter off that which I think he’s starting to feel.”

Evans and his Tar Heel teammates enjoy an off week this weekend before hosting Syracuse, when the Orange come to town on Saturday, Oct. 7 for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff.

It’s enjoyable to see Evans producing on a unit that’s struggled immensely in recent years.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Gene Chizik likes improvement, response from his defensive players

Outside of the App State game, UNC’s defense has been fairly impressive so far in 2023. Defensive coordinator Gene Chizik agrees.

I said this after the UNC-App State thriller two weeks ago – the Tar Heel defense goes together like toothpaste and orange juice.

When college football fans look at Carolina’s defense, the struggles are the easiest thing to notice.

UNC allowed nearly 500 yards to App State on Sept. 9 this year, though the Mountaineers are consistently one of college football’s best among non-Power 5 schools.

Carolina finished with one of the nation’s worst defenses last year, which was somewhat surprising given all the talent (Desmond Evans, Kaimon Rucker, Cedric Gray) they have.

Outside of this year’s App State game, the UNC defense has looked significantly better.

The Tar Heels generated nine sacks and held South Carolina to a negative rushing yard total in a 31-17, Week 1 victory. Last weekend at home, UNC held Minnesota to three second-half points and quarterback Athas Kaliakmanis to 11 total completions, in a 31-13 home triumph.

Carolina’s improved defensive performance has caught the eye of defensive coordinator Gene Chizik, who pointed to comfort level and the ability to respond well to adversity.

“I think it’s just execution,” Chizik told 247Sports’ Evan Rogers on Monday. “One of the things that I really like about our defense is that we’ve got really good leadership, so it really doesn’t matter what happens in the games, good or bad. I feel like they’re built to respond. The overall difference (this season) is maybe a comfort level in the defense in your second year, I think that’s number one. Number two, we have very smart guys that totally understand where they’re fitting and what their job responsibilities are.”

Rucker and Florida State transfer Amari Gainer already have multiple sacks each, part of a UNC defense that has 10 through just three games. Carolina registered 17 all of last year.

Power Echols, Don Chapman and Armani Chatman all have one interception apiece. Echols, Gray, Chapman and Gio Biggers give Carolina four guys with double-digit tackles.

Most impressive about the defense, however, is its ability to shut down the opposition late in games. Excluding the App State game this year, UNC’s opponents have scored a combined six points in the second half.

The Tar Heel defense will get a tough test this upcoming weekend, as it opens up ACC play at Pitt on Saturday at 8 p.m. The Panthers have nearly 1,000 yards of offense through three games.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Hampton, Evans, Kiernan nab UNC Player of the Game honors against App State

After Saturday’s wild, 40-34 triumph over App State, UNC named Omarion Hampton, Desmond Evans and Ben Kiernan Players of the Game.

I think UNC fans can all agree that Saturday’s football game against App State was a rollercoaster of emotions no one wants to experience again, at least not anytime soon.

The Heels’ defense looked a lot like last year’s, showing an inability to get off the field on late downs and struggling to generate quarterback pressure. They made a stop when it mattered most, though, locking up the 40-34 double-overtime win by forcing an incompletion on fourth down.

Carolina’s offense, led by a career day from running back Omarion Hampton, won it the game.

For their efforts in the victory, Hampton, defensive end Desmond Evans and punter Ben Kiernan were named UNC’s Players of the Game.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CxDliUgLLGe/?img_index=1

Not only did Hampton generate three touchdowns and a career-high 234 rushing yards, he led the entire FBS in rushing yards. On a day where UNC quarterback Drake Maye failed to throw a touchdown, Hampton single-handedly kept Carolina in the game.

While British Brooks is on track to return and, quite possibly start against Minnesota on Saturday, it’d be difficult not to give Hampton a ton of carries.

Evans was not the Heels’ defensive leader, but he played a respectable game on the line. He generated six tackles (three solo), including half-a-tackle for loss, plus a pass deflection.

Evans sacked South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler once the week before. UNC will looking for even more production out of his this coming Saturday.

Kiernan had a practically identical game punting against App State, with his two punts traveling a total of 90 yards (45-yard average). Against the Gamecocks, Kiernan punted the ball twice for 85 yards (42.5-yard average).

Here’s to hoping Carolina’s offense can stay on the field even more against Minnesota. If not, however, it’s relieving to have a reliable punter like Kiernan.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Twitter predicts who will lead UNC football in sacks this season

Defensive line has been a talented – but underperfoming – unit for the UNC football team. Tar Heel fans predict who will step up this year.

Defensive line has been somewhat of an underperforming spot for the University of North Carolina football team in recent years.

Despite nabbing four and 5-star in-state recruits like Keeshawn Silver (now with Kentucky), Desmond Evans and Travis Shaw, the sack totals are nowhere near what they should be for this talented defensive unit.

Kaimon Rucker and Noah Taylor led UNC with 3.5 sacks apiece in 2022. Shaw nor Evans recorded a single sack.

College offenses tend to run the spread offense more, so lower sack totals are understandable. With guys like Evans and Shaw on the defensive line, though, higher totals are expected.

Let’s take a look at Great Day Tar Heel and see who fans think will lead Carolina in sacks this fall:

According to Ourlads NFL Scouting Services, UNC’s starting defensive line will be Evans, defensive tackle Myles Murphy and nose tackle Kevin Hester Jr. Jacolbe Cowan and Beau Atkinson back up Evans on the outside, Jahvaree Ritzee and Kedrick Bingley-Jones slot in behind Murphy, while Shaw and Tomari Fox slide in behind Hester.

There will be plenty opportunity for UNC players to generate sacks in the fall. It wouldn’t be surprising to see defensive coordinator Gene Chizik list his D-line starters for one game (say, the Sept. 9 home opener against App State), then rotate everyone in throughout the game. This strategy would allow everyone to keep fresh legs and give Chizik an idea of who his top contributors are.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.