Catching On

Freshman wide receiver Shaquelle Evans is a company man — but he won’t buy the company line about USC being just another game on Notre Dame’s football schedule.

“My juices are going to be more pumped for that game because I really want to beat SC,” said the Inglewood, Calif. native who originally was a “soft” verbal for the Trojans last year before opting for Notre Dame instead.

“Every day I’d hear, ‘Why are you going to Notre Dame?’ But I just waved it off. This is where I wanted to be. When I came here, I could just feel — I don’t know what it was — this was the place for me, and I knew I could come in and contribute right away. It’s something you can’t describe. Either you feel it or you don’t, and I felt it.”

Evans has played in all five games to start his freshman season.

He’s also beginning to “feel it” as a college wideout. Similar to classmate and WILL linebacker Manti Te’o, Evans was in the “feeling out” stages of his development in the first four games, prior to last week’s 37-30 overtime victory against Washington. Entering the contest with the Huskies, Te’o had totaled six tackles in the first four games — but recorded 10 alone against Washington.

Likewise, Evans went into the game with three receptions for 27 yards — but had four for 34 yards versus the Huskies, with the last two helping set up Irish scores in the fourth quarter.

“He’s been fast tracked where he started with baby steps,” said Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis of his third straight freshman receiver on the threshold of significant contributions, joining Duval Kamara in 2007 and Michael Floyd in 2008. “Now, he played a whole bunch of snaps in that last game and it will continue to be that way.”

With Floyd now sidelined for what is projected to be the balance of the regular season, Evans, senior Robby Parris and junior Kamara have become the receiving committee to complement All-America candidates Golden Tate and tight end Kyle Rudolph.

Interestingly, Evans, Parris and Kamara have seven receptions apiece during Notre Dame’s 4-1 start, but Evans appears to have the highest ceiling for the long haul this season. Kamara has been slowed by injury woes and was inserted specifically for just blocking situations against the Huskies. Conversely, Parris has made clutch receptions against both Purdue and Washington with his precise route running and reliable hands.

Evans is a hybrid of the two, not quite as physically imposing as Kamara and not yet possessing the overall savvy of Parris. But he’s faster than both and has the natural receiving skills that Tate, a high school running back, lacked as a Notre Dame freshman two years ago, when he snared only six passes all year.

“Shaq is a much more polished receiver at the same stage as far as route running and all the nuances that go there,” said Weis when asked to compare Evans and Tate as freshmen. “They are pretty close speed wise. The one thing that Golden has always had is extraordinary ball skills. So if a ball was up for grabs, he might not be able to run the route perfectly, but if the ball was there, he’s usually coming down with it.”

The 6-1, 203-pound Evans doesn’t necessarily possess game-breaking speed, but he has enough to threaten a defense, especially opposite Tate.

“Two guys on the outside with speed, it makes it hard on a defense to cover,” said Evans on what his presence offers the most. “Then you open up the slot with Robby running the crisp routes. I felt like I could just open up the offense more with the speed.”

In the Sunday team meeting after the victory against Michigan State, Evans’ sense of urgency escalated when he and the wide receivers were informed that Floyd would indeed be sidelined probably the rest of the regular season.

“I was like, ‘Man, I didn’t know it was going to be that bad,’ ” Evans said. “I guess I knew it was time for me to step up and that’s what I’ve been trying to do the last couple of games. Everything picked up in the detail. Blocking … everything. I knew I had to become more focused.”

Evans credits Floyd and quarterback Jimmy Clausen for some personal hands-on work in practices, including picking him up after errors, lining him up correctly, and running the routes as specified. Meanwhile, receivers coach Rob Ianello has emphasized ball security to complement the crisper route running. Evans said his most dramatic adjustment is understanding how to use his hands when releasing off the line.

“In high school you don’t have to use your hands because nobody really wants to press you (in coverage),” Evans smiled. “I’ve learned how to use my hands and catch the ball better … It gets easier and easier. When I first got into the Nevada game, I was kind of shaking. I was poised and confident (versus Washington).”

The much-discussed third-down incompletion to Evans prior to Michigan’s game-winning touchdown march also has been a long-term benefit, although it was a painful short-term moment.

“I learned that on third down in a crucial game like that, you just have to break the route off a little early (with all the people in the box),” Evans said.

As for dealing with the South Bend weather — which could include some frost already this weekend — Evans is prepared to make the best of it.

“I know it hasn’t been freezing cold yet,” he said. “I don’t have a winter coat, but I have a good enough one for now.”

Nothing would warm him better this winter than a victory against USC.