Alabama Football: Rashaan Evans is The Wolfman

Halloween comes early every Game Day Saturday that Alabama football plays. Linebacker Rashaan Evans is on the prowl to feast on quarterbacks, this season.

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In his senior year with the Alabama Crimson Tide, Evans has stalked opposing quarterbacks and running backs in the deep, dark forest that is the Southeastern Conference. Many offensive linemen thought that they could protect their teammates, only to look back and find Evans chomping down upon them.

In only six games, even while battling a groin injury, Evans has been able to produce 26 tackles, 11 solo, often in the opposing backfield. He has three sacks, second on the team only to Raekwon Davis who has 5.5 sacks. Evans is also ninth on the team in total tackles, led by Ronnie Harrison with 44, but Evans also did not get the chance to play against some of the weaker teams that Alabama faced earlier in the season.

Besides, The Wolfman is meant to be a hunter, not a gatherer. So is Evans. Just ask Tennessee’s starting quarterback Jarrett Guarantano:

Was that howling coming from Guarantano or was that Evans howling at the moon that he found his prey, no matter where the QB went? The pass rush is where Evans makes the biggest impact for Alabama football. Tennesse only earned 131 passing yards last Saturday.

Without Evans, teams like Fresno State and Colorado State thought that they could throw against the Crimson Tide. And, they were right. Fresno State put up 216 receiving yards. Colorado State put up 247 receiving yards.

When Evans returned to the team against Vanderbilt, a total of 38 yards were earned in the air. Ole Miss, the following week? They only earned 165 yards. Arkansas got 200 yards, but Evans made them earn it by sacking their QB twice on six total tackles, 3.5 of them were for a loss. Texas A&M put up 237 yards, with Evans only making five tackles but no sacks, but almost everyone from Alabama had an off-night in that game.

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Even before Evans was out with his groin injury, he made five assisted tackles, one of them for a loss. His quickness has only gotten better, since his return. The Wolfman is never seen, he is too quick. He is only heard when he howls to the moon to start his hunt and when he has eaten his prey. The howl for Evans is the Crimson Tide crowd roaring every time he makes a play or gets to the quarterback. It’s a sound that continues to strike fear in the hearts of QBs in the entire SEC.

If he keeps this performance up, it may make QBs in the NFL quake with fear, a year from now.