Zach Evans a CFB Top 25 Running Back?

Why Ole Miss running back Zach Evans should have a breakout campaign in 2022.

OXFORD – When Ole Miss fans get together to talk about the Ole Miss roster for 2022, there’s a lot of belief that Zach Evans will be a big-time running back this fall. They have support in that belief.

247 Sports is placing him at No. 11 in the nation at the running back position. Here’s an excerpt from the information provided regarding Evans:

“With enough touches, Evans should exceed 1,000 yards of total offense this fall as a speed threat for the Rebels,” says 247 writer Brad Crawford.

Full article: here.

Should Evans be under consideration for such a distinction as he heads into SEC West play with Ole Miss? There are a few basic points to consider first.

Indeed, Evans has been known as a speed threat throughout his high school career, as Crawford duly noted, and it’s continued with his time at the college level via two seasons with the Horned Frogs. He rushed for 1,063 yards and nine touchdowns while playing for TCU. Now at Ole Miss, he can definitely impact the Ole Miss offense in a multitude of ways, starting with being a big-play running back.

Even as a true freshman in 2020, Zach Evans gashed opposing defenses with big running plays / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

First off, Evans is not just a between the tackles runner. He can shift his direction in the blink of an eye. He will take the football to the perimeter and out run the defense down the sideline for a score when the intended hole was in the A gap. If that gap is open, boom! Evans can split the defense and take it right up the middle for a long score. That’s his style of play in a nutshell; use his natural speed to make big plays.

After averaging 7.7 yards per carry in 2020 and 7.0 yards per carry as a sophomore in Fort Worth, Texas, there’s certainly evidence of that. Now a junior that’s more savvy, more knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the college game, Evans is also more likely to be consistent, too.

Sometimes it’s just best to take the three yards and move on to the next play. Many home run running backs similar to Evans will fail at this, which is why they do not progress from college to the pros.

When there's a crease to run through, Evans has the vision and speed to make a big play / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

If Evans is consistent and does not just bounce running plays to the outside at the first sign of trouble, he should contend for being the best running back in the SEC West. One simply cannot teach his naturally quick feet and explosive speed.

That toughness between the tackles is a need for each Ole Miss runner, and that leads to an additional point that some might be overlooking about Evans and being in Head Coach Lane Kiffin’s offense.

Catching the football could be the real difference for Evans. Not many safeties will come close to keeping up with him, let alone linebackers, and those two position groups will continually be challenged to cover him in the open field. Good luck to those players with the assignment to stick with Evans when he runs a route.

Defensive players will have a hard time tackling Zach Evans in the open field, allowing him to end up in the end zone / Jerome Miron, USA Today

He only caught 18 passes for 206 yards and one touchdown between his two seasons with TCU, but Kiffin has always been adept at getting playmakers the football in the passing game even if they are running backs. Evans should continue that trend.

Will he be a 1,000 yard running back for Ole Miss this season? Possible. Combining his numbers as a runner and as a receiver are more important. It’s safe to assume that he will not only surpass 1,000 yards between running and receiving, but the number of chunk-yardage plays he produces will also be impactful and change the momentum of games.

That’s a reason that 247 Sports is probably right to project Evans higher than what many others might think of him. Ole Miss is gaining a dynamic running back in Evans that will help the Rebels with big plays running and catching the football, and that’s why he’s definitely one of college football’s top 25 running backs overall.

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