KaTron Evans sticking with Vols

Next man up.

That’s the message from Vols defensive lineman KaTron Evans as the program he signed on to for the next four years is in the midst of yet another reboot.

“Yes sir,” Evans told Volquest when asked if he was staying with the program. “I’m all Vol.”

When Jeremy Pruitt was fired Monday for cause, the fear immediately went to roster management and how some players may dart to the portal. The same can be said for those high schoolers who just inked, as the man they signed up for is no longer in the picture.

Still, Evans believes he and others are unphased.

“It’s a next man up mentality,” Evans emphasized. “We have some guys who have left and may still leave, but we have others coming in ready to play. Next man up.”

Though not every signee may share the same confidence Evans does, the four-star believes the group is on the same page.

“I talk to those guys all the time,” Evans said of his fellow class members. “We are all in one big group chat. I feel like we are all Vol and no one is leaving.”

When asked who the leader of the chat is and the one who is usually out in front of the encouragement, Evans replied quickly, “Kaidon Salter.”

Though the 6-foot-5, 315-pound run-stopper is still onboard, news of the Pruitt firing caught him off guard.

“I didn’t know about it until it happened. We weren’t informed by any coaches,” Evans remembered. “We found out on Twitter and that’s a bummer.

“That hurt the program because now we are seeing how some guys are entering the transfer portal. I think it shows the love the players have for coach Pruitt. It hurt the program letting him go.”

The St. Francis standout is gearing up for an eight-game spring football season that’s set to begin in March. Evans likely won’t play the whole season as he prepares to leave for Knoxville to enroll for summer classes.

Now, he’s staying consistent with his workouts and focusing on school.

Still at home, the new Vol has talked things over with his family this week; all the uncertainty and how the 18-year-old doesn’t even know who his head coach will be.

“I’m anxious to find out who I’ll be playing for, so I’m ready to know who our coach will be,” Evans said. “I told my mom about the situation and they have all been supportive of my decision on sticking with Tennessee.”

The Baltimore, MD. native’s Volunteer ride has been anything but smooth sailing thus far. Initially recruited by Tracy Rocker before his departure to South Carolina last offseason, Evans was forced to begin forming a relationship with Jimmy Brumbaugh.

Once Brumbaugh was fired four games into the 2020 campaign, the prospect stayed true to his commitment and true to Pruitt. Now, Evans will soon begin his Volunteer journey with none of the above on campus.

Acting head coach Kevin Steele has yet to make contact with Evans as part of the Volunteer program, but the two did meet briefly over a zoom call when the coach was still at Auburn.

Steele has a challenge ahead of him – no doubt - in trying to keep the roster and class together, but as far as Evans in concerned, the VFL has nothing to worry about.