Evans responds in style on East Webster offense
When Qua Evans is called upon, he's there. Last season it was Evans' job to take care of business on the defensive side of the football for the East Webster Wolverines and he responded well with 82 tackles at linebacker. Running the football wasn't completely foreign to him due to his natural athletic ability, but he didn't know what was in store for him in 2016.
Now as a senior and Chase Keller's 1,000-plus yards gone, Evans had to step up for the Wolverines. He's responded in style.
“He's been a real good surprise,” East Webster head coach Doug Wilson said. “He didn't play hardly any offense last year and in the summer, we didn't know what direction we'd go at running back. We had him penciled in as one of the main running backs, but we didn't know what we'd get. He's really stepped up.”
Evans went from six carries for 22 yards all of last year to a breakout start to his senior year. In six games, the talented athlete has rushed 85 times for 548 yards with eight touchdowns. Last week against South Pontotoc saw his career performance to this point when he went for 146 yards and two touchdowns on just 13 rushes.
“I feel like it's gone great so far,” Evans said of the season. “My job is to be there for my team whenever they need me. With the offensive line we have, we've kept things going despite losing some great players.”
The offensive line has especially been the difference for Evans and the rest of the running attack this year and Wilson wasn't sure what he'd get from the group.
They're led by senior A.J. Johnson, who Wilson remarked might get a rest when the punt team comes on the field. Playing both sides of the line hasn't been an issue for the senior and he's been the key cog in what makes a unit that lost three starters work.
The Wolverines come into Friday's big showdown with Calhoun City averaging 121.3 yards per game led by the legs of Evans and the work from that offensive line. Defenses will begin to start keying in on the talented running back and he'll have to be at the top of his game.
“He's not a blazing fast runner," Wilson said. "He doesn't have a great 40 time but has great vision. Qua needs to be what he's been. He's a good athlete and getting better every rep in practice. We're going to have to do what we've been doing with Qua but have to open up things in the passing game so teams aren't keying on him. Every team has great defenses so we'll have to be creative with him.”
In addition to his work on offense, Evans has 36 tackles this year defensively and a fumble recovery.