As N.C. State takes the field to face North Carolina Saturday, the Wolfpack will be looking to reverse a frustrating trend, as the Tar Heels have won 11 of the last 14 in the series.
In fact, no State quarterback other than Philip Rivers has beaten the Heels since 1992. Even more, the Pack has won only once — in 2003 — against Carolina at Carter-Finley Stadium since a 24-7 home win against the Heels in 1991.
Daniel Evans, a redshirt junior and the team’s starting quarterback, has witnessed plenty of the games in that span from the sidelines. He tagged along with his father Johnny and Tony Haynes in their respective tenures as sideline reporters for the team’s football radio broadcasts.
Evans was on the field when State came up inches short of a touchdown in a 10-6 loss to Carolina in 1999 in Charlotte, which helped spell the end for then-coach Mike O’Cain.
He was on the sideline the next season when Rivers caught a touchdown pass as a freshman to help lift the team to a 38-20 win in Chapel Hill, ending a seven-game losing streak in the series.
“I’ve seen both ends of the spectrum,” Evans said. “And I know how important it is to everyone involved.”
Similarly, Evans’ career has seen plenty of highs and lows. For most of his first two seasons, he watched as Jay Davis and Marcus Stone both started. Then he got the chance to start in the fourth game of his third year, 2006.
He would hold the job and post a 2-8 record as a starter through this season’s opener against Central Florida, where he played less than a half and struggled before being pulled. Harrison Beck threw for more than 200 yards in relief and won the starting job for the next week.
But Andrew Evans, brother and one of four quadruplets including Daniel, said Daniel handled the situation well, relying on his Christian faith.
“Sure, he was down, and he wasn’t happy that he’d been benched, but he didn’t show it,” Andrew said. “And he had a confidence in that knowing that his priorities were in place.”
Even Daniel admitted this season has been more up and down for him than a year ago.
“It’s a little bit more ebb and flow this year,” he said.
Things have been flowing better for Evans, as he has passed for 889 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions in consecutive wins against East Carolina, Virginia and Miami.
Johnny Evans, who still does radio broadcasts for football games but is now in the booth, said it’s not just Daniel who has stepped up, but the whole offense. Johnny also said the experience Daniel gained last season is paying off now.
“Any time you go through something a second or a third or a fourth time, you’re going to be a little bit more successful than you were the first time,” Johnny said. “Everything was just so new and fresh last year.”
With the recent surge in offensive production after a turnover-plagued first half of the season, Daniel said the offense is clicking.
“Our receivers are making great plays right now. [Redshirt sophomore] Jamelle [Eugene] and the other running backs, they’re doing great running the ball,” Daniel said. “We’ve got weapons, and we’ve got some chemistry going.”
Even with all the excitement surrounding a UNC game, Daniel said he needs to lead the team to victory more because of what it could mean for the team’s season.
“It’s going to be a huge game no matter who we were playing this week with everything riding on it,” Daniel said.
He now boasts a 3-2 record as a starter this year, and his 10 touchdown passes are four more than he had all last season.
Andrew Evans said his brother is still the same as he’s always been, even with the increased production.
“I think he has the same amount of confidence, but it’s just finally all coming together,” Andrew said. “The whole team is coming together and making plays when it needs to be done.”
In the past three seasons, the team has come out slowly against Carolina. But Johnny Evans said he can’t imagine such a scenario this week with the team fighting to become bowl eligible.
“I would be really surprised if N.C. State came out there flat, came out there emotionless, came out there and really reverted back in the turnover margins,” Johnny said.
Daniel Evans on the UNC game
“It’s a game that affects people’s livelihood every year. If we lose the Carolina game a certain amount of years, coaches are getting fired and their families have to move. All the players know that and know how big of a deal it is. We’re students too; we know how it is to be on campus and what it means to our classmates and what it means to the community in Raleigh. It’s a game that you could lose 11 games in a year, but if you beat Carolina, everything’s all right.”
-Compiled by Langdon Morris
