Houston, Texas elite running back Zach Evans had only been to Tennessee one time before stepping foot on campus Friday night. The visit was more of a drive-thru than it was an actual fact finding mission last summer. He visited on a Sunday afternoon with no students on campus and with very few football staff members around.

Since then there has been some contact but very little traction with the Vols until this past week. Even then, he insists that Tennessee still had his attention a little bit.

“Nothing has really changed,” Evans said on Sunday about his recent renewed interest in the Vols. “I have had interest for Tennessee for a while and visited last Summer. They have communicated with me a lot more.

“Tennessee is a great program. Knoxville is a good city to go to school in.”

Evans was able to spend time with Jeremy Pruitt and his staff this weekend but above all else he got a feel for the players he would be playing with. It was important to see how this current group of Vols interacted with each other.

“I like the players most,” Evans said. “They have a really good family environment there and that’s something I want in a school.”

Tight ends coach and ace recruiter Brian Niedermeyer kicked off this week in Houston as he worked to get the Vols in the mix for Evans. Evans decided to give the Vols and Niedermeyer a closer look as the two build on their relationship.

“He is very honest and direct,” Evans said. “He is not just going to tell you what you want to hear. He knows his to relate to people and has a good personality.”

Ty Chandler has shown some flashes and Eric Gray obviously closed the season strong, but proven depth at the running back position is something they lack. It’s been quite a while since the Vols had a running back like Evans. The Vols signed the top ranked running back (#1 overall player) in 2009 with that being Bryce Brown. The Vols also landed 5-star Jalen Hurd in the 2014 class and followed that up with the addition of coveted Alabama transfer Alvin Kamara. The point is, while they have had some talent at that position, it hasn’t truly been sustained. The opportunity to have two game-changing backs like Gray and potentially Evans could be huge for the Vols.

On the flip side, Georgia another team linked to Evans is quite loaded at the position. He notices the depth charts but doesn’t get caught up in it. Either way, he knows he will have to compete no matter which school he lands at.

“I will have to compete anywhere I go,” Evans said. “I believe in myself and I know I will make an impact wherever I go. So it’s not a big deal either way.”

And that’s why he is looking at who will coach him and how they will use him.

“How they develop players is important to me, Evans said. “I also want to be comfortable in that program.”

Currently, Tennessee is without a running backs coach with the departure of David Johnson to Florida State. Does it effect Evans and how he looks at Tennessee?

“It is kind of a concern, but I know coach Pruitt and coach Chaney so it’s not a huge deal,” Evans said. “I was able to spend time with both this weekend and get a good feel for how they would use me if I came here.”

Evans has one visit left and will use it next weekend. Georgia is the expected trip with the Bulldogs still in the mix after signing with Georgia and subsequently being released from his national LOI last month.