YORKTOWN'S JJ EVANS MAKES IMPACTS ON AND OFF THE FIELD
By DOUG ZALESKI
Yorktown football coach Mike Wilhelm experienced some anxious feelings a couple of summers ago when he wasn’t sure whether one of his top prospects was going to continue to play football.
Jamarius “J.J.” Evans had been a football player ever since he was 4 years old, but basketball captured his attention in 8th grade. He became so serious about the sport that Wilhelm wasn’t sure Evans was going to be at Yorktown’s season-opening football practice as a freshman in 2017.
Evans did appear at that first practice and earned some playing time on the varsity that season. He made an impact right away by blocking a punt against Muncie Central in the opening game, picking it up, and running it back for a touchdown.
But during the summer before Evans’ sophomore season, Wilhelm found himself wondering again whether Evans was committed to playing football. So the veteran coach wrote a letter to Evans pointing out why he could be so valuable to the Tigers football team and hand-delivered it to the Evans home on a Friday, three days before the start of fall practice.
“I actually went to his home with a letter saying, ‘I think you’re going to be a great player, and we need you on this team,’ ” Wilhelm said. “I laid out why he was going to be a great football player.”
Evans wasn’t home when Wilhelm showed up that day, but the coach left the letter with Evans’ siblings and asked them to make sure to get it in their brother’s hands.
“I got a phone call from his dad (Roderick Evans) within a few hours and he said, ‘He’s playing football,’ ” Wilhelm said. “I think (J.J.) needed to hear how special he was, not only as an athlete but as a person. We needed him around us.”
Evans, now a senior, has had an incredible impact on the Yorktown program, both on and off the field.
On the field, Evans has been a statistical and emotional leader on offense and defense.
The running back has more than half of the Tigers’ rushing attempts this season, and his 628 yards (along with nine touchdowns) represents 59 percent of their rushing yardage. He also has caught five passes for 146 yards.
On defense, Evans has impacted games from his end position. He’s first on the team in tackles for loss (5) and sacks (3.5), and third in tackles with 36.
Evans’ actions off the field are just as important to the culture that Wilhelm has instilled in his program.
It isn’t uncommon to see Evans contribute in ways that most people don’t know about. If he sees trash or other clutter lying around in the locker room, he’s likely to pick it up and put it where it belongs.
“That comes from my parents; they always made me do the right thing,” Evans said. “Also, the coaching staff encourages us to help others and keep our locker room as clean as if it was our house. We are a family, we want to stay clean, we want to play football for as long as possible. This helps prevent any bacteria or anything like that.”