December 17, 2015

Evans wins Rimington Award for Division II’s best center

Lincoln, Neb. – Carson-Newman center Derek Evans (Alcoa, Tenn.) has been lauded as the top center in Division II with the Rimington Award, the Rimington Trophy/Boomer Esiason Foundation announced Thursday morning.

Lincoln, Neb. – Carson-Newman center Derek Evans (Alcoa, Tenn.) has been lauded as the top center in Division II with the Rimington Award, the Rimington Trophy/Boomer Esiason Foundation announced Thursday morning.

Evans becomes the second Eagle in four years to bring home the hardware, joining consensus All-America center Kevin Day, who won the award in 2012.

"It's very deserving," Carson-Newman head football coach Ken Sparks said. "He's a guy who worked and worked and worked to really improve. He anchored our line this year and made a lot of things happen for us. We know Mike Turner's a great offensive line coach and Derek was a great student of offensive line play, this award represents that."

Evans did something no other Carson-Newman offensive lineman has done since the C-N sports information department began tracking offensive linemen stats in 2012. Evans is the first C-N offensive lineman with a perfect gradeout on Mike Turner's 80-point scale. Evans did that three times this season (Shorter, Newberry and North Greenville).

The senior center led Carson-Newman in knockdowns with 16 this season and is second all-time with 42.

"This hasn't really sunk in yet," Evans said. "The first two years here, I didn't really garner any postseason accolades, so this year has been a shock. I just went out to try to play the best I can."

Evans has cleared the way for a 1,000-yard rusher in all three of his seasons as a starter for Carson-Newman. The Eagles rushed for 570 yards in the regular season finale – the fifth highest single-game tally in Carson-Newman football history – behind Evans blocking. Carson-Newman cracked 60 points three times and 600 yards of total offense four times behind Evans' road-grading capabilities. He has also blocked for two Harlon Hill Trophy finalists in Andy Hibbett and Damian Baker in his career.

"This is for my dad," Evans said. "He's been teaching me since I was six. My high school coaches and now coach Turner. I'd never experienced the veer before. I wouldn't be anything without my dad and coach Turner."

The recipients of the Rimington Award are coordinated by Jason Dannelly, founder of the Victory Sports Network and longtime small college football writer. Dannelly started the Victory Sports Network in 2002 as the leading source for NAIA college sports through its web site, print magazines, and syndicated radio broadcasts. Since then Dannelly has established relationships with the all levels of small college football to create a network of individuals who help to select the Rimington Award for the FCS, DII, DIII and NAIA levels. Dannelly is also a member of the Football Writers Association.

The awards, presented to the top center for FBS, FCS, DII, DIII and NAIA, will be handed out Jan. 16 at the Rococo Theater in Lincoln, Neb.