Collegiate Times

Evans searches for an open running lane.

The fact that Virginia Tech was able to smuggle coveted recruit Darren Evans out of the heart of Big Ten country still surprises running backs coach Billy Hite.

"(It's) unbelievable, it really is, to get a kid of that caliber from that far away," Hite said. "That one day we got to spend a lot of time together, I had a chance to work him out on the field. I came back in and I said, 'I want to see that film again.' I watched the film, and we obviously called his high school coach and offered him a scholarship."

Despite Evans' rapid emergence in 2008, culminating with a 253-yard school-record rushing performance in only his ninth collegiate game, his redshirt season at Tech last year was difficult to endure without football or his two-year-old son, James. He even briefly considered transferring closer to home to be with his family back in the Midwest.

"It was real hard, just because a lot of people know I have a son, and not being able to see him, and not being able to do the one thing I've been doing all my life, you know," Evans, now a 20-year-old redshirt freshman, said. "I just felt like it was kind of like the two things you love the most were taken away from you. It was real hard, real tough for me to finally get through that, and it was a long year, one of the longer years of my life."

What a difference a year can make, though. Taneesha Lange -- Evans' girlfriend and the mother of his child -- and James have moved to Blacksburg where they live together in an off-campus apartment.

The coaching staff at Tech understands Evans' situation and is impressed with the way he has managed to juggle football, schoolwork and his obligations as a father.

"It's a full load, it really is, but that's the thing," Hite said. "He's found time to keep his schoolwork up. He's getting good grades, he has time to get the class work done and at the same time he has time to be a father, too ... and all the meetings we have, the weightlifting. It's just amazing, but he's that kind of kid. He's disciplined, and he knows what he has to do to be successful, and he's going to be successful."

As a native of Indianapolis, Evans normally would not be on Tech's recruiting radar, but he had some special connections.

"His high school coach was great friends with (Defensive Coordinator Bud) Foster and (Defensive Line Coach Charlie) Wiles. He brought four kids through, and they made a tour that summer. They went to Big Ten schools, SEC schools, and their last stop was Virginia Tech. In fact, they decided at the last minute just to come to Virginia Tech," Hite said.

With his family nearby and football back in his life, Evans worked hard through spring and fall practices, waiting for his time to shine.

Since the season-ending injury to Kenny Lewis Jr., Evans has seized the opportunity, totaling 772 yards and nine touchdowns in the team's nine games. Evans does realize the expectations of being the starting running back at Tech, especially now they've perhaps heightened.

"I wanted to come in and play early, but to be starting right now and breaking the record and all that, you really think about that," Evans said. "You really kind of think about that towards your senior year you want to have stuff like that accomplished, but for it to be done now, it's kind of hard because you know the bar is going to be set higher for you."

His emergence couldn't have come at a better time, though, with questions surrounding the quarterback position and a struggling passing offense.

"Right now with the different injuries we've got going on, having a good running game is critical, and I think it helps us throw the football a little. I think being able to run it like that has helped us to throw it," head coach Frank Beamer said.

Evans rumbles for extra yards by dishing out some pain at the end of his runs.

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