TCU great LaDainian Tomlinson had ‘really good talk’ with Zach Evans on last-minute pitch
TCU football officials are preparing for running back Zach Evans to play elsewhere next season but LaDainian Tomlinson made a last-minute pitch to Evans on Tuesday night.
The former TCU great talked with Evans for the first time since Evans entered the NCAA transfer portal shortly after the regular season ended. Was the conversation enough to convince Evans to return for a junior season?
“I can’t tell you which way he’s leaning,” a source said.
Evans is expected to make his decision in the next day or so. Multiple reports suggest that Ole Miss has emerged as the favorite with several other SEC schools expressing interest.
But Tomlinson and TCU haven’t completely given up.
Tomlinson’s talking points centered on the new staff and how coach Sonny Dykes features the running back in his Air Raid attack. SMU running backs Tre Siggers and Ulysses Bentley IV both had more than 700 yards from scrimmage in 2021. Bentley IV rushed for 913 yards and 11 TDs in 10 games in 2020.
But Evans could be more intrigued by going to Ole Miss, which had the 11th-best rushing attack in the country last season and is losing its top running back Jerrion Ealy to the NFL Draft. Additionally, Evans would likely have more financial incentives playing for an SEC team with players being able to profit off their name, image and likeness these days.
Evans is coming off an injury-plagued season with the Horned Frogs. He missed six of the final seven games with a turf toe injury. Still, Evans led the team with 648 yards rushing and five touchdowns in six games. As a freshman in 2020, Evans rushed for 415 yards and four TDs in nine games.
Evans joined TCU as the program’s highest-rated recruit, a five-star prospect coming out of Galena Park North Shore. At one point, he was the top overall player in the 2020 class but ended up as the No. 16 overall player and No. 2 running back in the 2020 class, according to 247Sports.
If Evans doesn’t return, TCU’s top returning running back will be Kendre Miller, who rushed for 623 yards and seven TDs last season.
This story was originally published January 5, 2022 at 9:57 AM.
