Arkansas RB transferring to KU?

By Matt Tait     Jun 6, 2016
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The Kansas University football program’s continued efforts to add depth and talent to its suddenly thin backfield ventured into SEC territory recently and may have found something of value.

According to the Twitter accounts of both his brother and his girlfriend, Arkansas running back Denzel Evans is transferring to Kansas.

Evans, a 5-foot-11, 217-pound junior-to-be, was a three-star prospect coming out of Houston’s Bellaire High when he signed with the Razorbacks out of high school in 2013. At the time, Evans also held offers from Arizona State, Colorado, Houston, Kansas State, Michigan State, Minnesota and SMU.

Nothing official has come out of KU on the possible addition of Evans, but if he were to be added to the KU backfield, he would be the second running back rumored to join the Jayhawks this spring, with former Colorado State running back Deron Thompson (a likely walk-on) also choosing to come to Lawrence.

The Jayhawks certainly could use all the help they can get at the running back position. What, for years, was one of the deepest positions on the team, has become one of the least experienced, with only returning starter Ke’aun Kinner having seen any legitimate game.

Sophomores Taylor Martin and Ryan Schadler, both have game experience, but neither received much work at running back last season. Last weekend, freshman Khalil Herbert, a two-star back from Plantation, Florida, was expected to report to campus in time for summer workouts and his addition, also would give the Jayhawks depth at a spot in which teams cannot have too much.

Last season at Arkansas, Evans played in six games and logged six carries for 48 yards with a long of 31. As was the case with Thompson at CSU, Evans found himself in a crowded backfield and began looking for opportunities elsewhere.

Ironically, that elsewhere might wind up being the very spot where Arkansas running backs coach Reggie Mitchell just worked.

Evans is close to graduating from Arkansas and is attempting to finish up his class requirements this summer. If he is able to, he would be immediately eligible to play at Kansas during the upcoming 2016 season.

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Written By Matt Tait

A native of Colorado, Matt moved to Lawrence in 1988 and has been in town ever since. He graduated from Lawrence High in 1996 and the University of Kansas in 2000 with a degree in Journalism. After covering KU sports for the University Daily Kansan and Rivals.com, Matt joined the World Company (and later Ogden Publications) in 2001 and has held several positions with the paper and KUsports.com in the past 20+ years. He became the Journal-World Sports Editor in 2018. Throughout his career, Matt has won several local and national awards from both the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Kansas Press Association. In 2021, he was named the Kansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Matt lives in Lawrence with his wife, Allison, and two daughters, Kate and Molly. When he's not covering KU sports, he likes to spend his time playing basketball and golf, listening to and writing music and traveling the world with friends and family.