BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football offensive lineman Drew Evans’ voice was full of emotion Thursday as he recounted the Achilles injury he suffered last year while the team was preparing for a pivotal game against Michigan.
Evans felt a sudden pain in his right calf while working on the sled that he initially mistook for a teammate accidentally kicking him in the back of the leg. He immediately assumed the worst when he realized no one was in the vicinity.
“That was really a devastating moment,” Evans said. “I was really excited, cause the Michigan d-line was really tough last year, and I felt that was a good opportunity to prove myself against some of the top guys. Obviously, really kind of heartbreaking.”
Evans’ long wait for an opportunity only amplified those feelings.
The former Wisconsin walk-on entered the transfer portal after redshirting as a true freshman. He landed in Bloomington along with his former offensive line coach Bob Bostad, but didn’t get any playing time in 2023.
He started getting first-team reps at left guard the following spring and was part of Indiana’s starting lineup in last year’s season-opener against FIU. He didn’t allow a sack or quarterback hit in nine starts for a high-powered IU offense that ranked among the best in the country.
Going from anchoring the left side of that line next to Carter Smith to watching the Hoosiers reach the College Football Playoff was a jarring turn of events.
“I’ve never been in that situation before,” Evans said. “Especially the first few weeks when my friends are going to go play good teams without me and I cannot be out there with them. That was tough.”
The near-nine month rehab process was just as challenging.
Evans wasn’t able to do anything for the first six weeks after surgery, and it felt like a real accomplishment to just get in some light treadmill work. He was sidelined during spring practice and wasn’t able to fully participate in the team’s summer workouts.
“It is a very slow process,” Evans said. “Once I got back lifting and started to see some strides in my calf strength, it was more uplifting, but still just a very gradual, slow process.”
It remained laborious even as he was cleared to return to action. He’s spent much of fall camp “shaking the rust off every day” and building confidence in his right calf that still doesn’t feel quite as strong as it once was.
While fans are wondering if Evans will reclaim his starting spot, he’s keeping his focus on the task in front of him and maintaining a positive attitude that’s helped him turn the page on the whole ordeal.
“You really just have to focus one day at a time and know it is going to be done eventually,” Evans said.
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: ‘Really kind of heartbreaking’: Indiana offensive lineman Drew Evans fighting way back from Achilles injury
Reporting by Michael Niziolek, The Herald-Times / The Herald-Times
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