The Decider: Darren Evans’ Unusual Tale

Tim Crothers | Mailbag

November 12, 2008

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Eight months ago, the one player who may have the most impact in deciding who wins the 2008 ACC football championship languished fifth on his team’s depth chart behind a guy named Pickle.

But let’s deal with that little hurdle later, because to locate Darren Evans’ real Once Upon A Time, we need to scroll back over a slew of other hurdles to precisely 4:01 p.m. on Nov. 29, 2006, when his entire life became prefixed by un. Evans was a high school senior and All-American, who had 7,220 career rushing yards, 127 touchdowns, four state championships, and as of 4:01 p.m., a newborn son. Suddenly, he’d gone from coveted football recruit to an unlikely, uncertain underdog.