Eastern Michigan Athletics
Samson Evans Garners MAC Scholar-Athlete Award
11/15/2023 1:08:00 PM | Football
Graduate student selected as the MAC's Male Scholar-Athlete of the Week recipient for the second time
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan University football student-athlete Samson Evans (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge/Iowa) has been named the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Male Scholar-Athlete of the Week for the second time this season, the league announced today, Nov. 15. Evans, a graduate student pursuing his Master's in Business Administration, previously earned the accolade Oct. 11.
Evans is no stranger to the end zone as he has scored 37 touchdowns on the ground in his career. At the University of Toledo, Nov. 8, he added his 42nd career touchdown accounted for as he hit Elijah Jackson-Anderson (Flint, Mich./Grand Blanc) on a 28-yard pass play for Jackson-Anderson's first score with the Eagles. With the pass, Evans is now 6-of-6 passing in his career with five touchdowns to his name. Evans has scored eight rushing touchdowns this year and added one passing score at Toledo. He is now the only active running back in the FBS to have run for at least one score and thrown for one in 2023. With five career passing touchdowns, Evans ranks second among active running back in the FBS with Frank Gore Jr. of Southern Miss leading the way with seven.
Evans followed that performance with a trio of touchdowns, including one in overtime, to help the Eagles secure a 30-27 win in double overtime at home, Nov. 14, against the University of Akron. Against the Zips, he added to his record touchdown haul as found the end zone three times against the Zips, bringing his career total to 40, the second-most among active running backs in the nation. Evans scored from two-yards out twice in regulation before scoring from 11-yards out to give EMU an early lead in overtime. With the three scores, Evans recorded multiple touchdowns in the same game for the 12th time in his career and tied his career-high set three times prior, most recently at home against Toledo, Oct. 29, 2022.
Evans' two awards, combined with Chase Kline (Chardon, Ohio/Chardon/Michigan State) winning the accolade Nov. 1, gives Eastern Michigan three honors this year, tying with Ball State and Toledo for the most awards so far in 2023. Additionally, Evans joins Emily Paupore (Central Michigan cross country) as the only student-athletes to earn the award twice this year.
With the victory in the home finale, the Eagles will turn their attention to their final regular season game of 2023 with bowl eligibility on the line at the University at Buffalo Tuesday, Nov. 21, inside UB Stadium. Eastern, at 5-6 overall, needs one more win to secure bowl eligibility and will take on the Bulls in a 7:30 p.m. kick live on ESPN2. Along with the national broadcast, fans can tune in to WEMU (89.1 FM) and the Varsity Network app with Tom Helmer and Rob Rubick on the call.
