Evans ready to take big role with Tide

tuscaloosa, ala.» Rashaan Evans has had some of his biggest moments in Alabama’s most important games. Now, he has a chance to create some more.

The junior is likely to make his first career start against Washington in the Peach Bowl semifinal game on New Year’s Eve. Evans was the backup to middle linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton, who’s out for the rest of the season with a knee injury sustained in the Southeastern Conference championship game.

Evans, one of the topranked Tide’s most heralded recruits three years ago, quickly allowed a touchdown pass after relieving Hamilton against Florida but also made a pivotal goal line stop in the third quarter that coach Nick Saban called “the turning point in the game.”

He had his best performance last season with two sacks in the national championship game against Clemson.

“I’m embracing this moment a lot,” Evans said. “Whenever I get out on the field anytime — regardless if it’s the championship game or not, man — I try to do my best. Just with this game upcoming, I’m going to try to do the same thing I’ve been doing.”

Evans moved to inside linebacker this fall after two seasons on the outside. The 6-foot-3, 230pounder is a prime example of the luxury of Alabama’s string of top-rated recruiting class.

One guy goes down, a five-star prospect replaces him. It happened with All-American Minkah Fitzpatrick moving over from cornerback earlier this season to replace injured safety Eddie Jackson.

Now, it’s Evans’ turn. He has played in 39 games over the past three seasons without a start, recording 2.5 sacks and 35 tackles so far this year.

“He’s embracing it well, getting in extra film (work), working hard,” said fellow inside linebacker Reuben Foster, the Butkus Award winner. “The toughness is already there. I ought to know, I play with him. It’s comfortable, I like it. It’s bad news for Shaun Hamilton, but he got the rest of his college career to get back out there.”

Both Evans and Foster were highly rated recruits from Auburn High School, who left for Tuscaloosa instead of staying at their hometown school.