Kenny Evans (American football)
{{Short description|American football coach (born 1960)}}
{{other people|Kenny Evans}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Kenny Evans
| image =
| current_title =
| current_team =
| current_conference =
| current_record =
| contract =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|3|19}}
| birth_place = Kansas, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| coach_years1 = 1981
| coach_team1 = Miami HS (OK) (assistant)
| coach_years2 = 1982–1984
| coach_years3 = 1985
| coach_team3 = Florida (WR)
| coach_years4 = 1986–1988
| coach_team4 = Southeastern State (DC)
| coach_years5 = 1989–1997
| coach_team5 = Missouri Southern (DC)
| coach_years6 = 1998–2006
| coach_team6 = North Texas (AHC/DC)
| coach_years7 = 2007
| coach_team7 = Louisiana Tech (LB)
| coach_years8 = 2008–2013
| coach_team8 = Northeastern State
| coach_years9 = 2014
| coach_team9 = Tulsa East Central HS (OK)
| coach_years10 = 2015–2017
| coach_team10 = Missouri Southern (DC)
| coach_years11 = 2018–2023
| coach_team11 = Rogers HS (AR) (DC)
| overall_record = 22–42 (college)
3–6 (high school)
| bowl_record = 0–1
| championships = 1 LSC North Division (2010)
| awards = Football Foundation's National Assistant Coach of the Year (2005)
| coaching_records =
}}
Kenneth Gwane Evans (born March 19, 1960) is a retired American football coach. Evans previously served as head football coach at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma and East Central High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma.{{cite web|url=https://www.nsuok.edu/News/Story/358/Default.aspx|title= Kenny Evans Named NSU Football Head Coach – Northeastern State University|website=nsuok.edu|accessdate=October 22, 2020}}{{cite web|url=http://okpreps.com/2014/04/09/kenny-evans-named-east-central-head-coach/|title= Kenny Evans Named East Central Head Coach – OKPreps|website=OKPreps.com|accessdate=October 21, 2020}} Evans has worked as an assistant coach at Oklahoma, Florida, North Texas, and Louisiana Tech.
Coaching career
Evans began his coaching career in 1981 at Miami High School in Miami, Oklahoma. He joined the collegiate ranks the following year as a graduate assistant at the University of Oklahoma under coach Barry Switzer. Evans remained in that role until 1985, when he joined coach Galen Hall at the University of Florida as a wide receivers coach for one season. He then spent the next 12 years under coach Jon Lantz at Southeastern Oklahoma State and Missouri Southern. He helped turn both programs around as defensive and recruiting coordinator, and coached future NFL players such as Rod Smith.
Evans returned to the NCAA Division I level in 1998 as defensive coordinator at the University of North Texas under head coach Darrell Dickey. During his eight years coaching there, the Mean Green won four Sun Belt Conference championships and made four appearances at the New Orleans Bowl. He also received the National Assistant Coach of the Year award in 2005 by the Football Foundation. Evans later coached at Louisiana Tech under Derek Dooley for one season.
In 2008, Evans was hired as head coach of the Northeastern State RiverHawks football program. He led the Riverhawks to two of winning seasons, which included a Lone Star Conference North Division title in 2010 and an appearance in the Mineral Water Bowl in 2011. This was the program's first winning seasons in a decade.{{cite web|url=https://goriverhawksgo.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/kenny-evans/15|title= Kenny Evans – Staff Directory|website=Northeastern State University RiverHawks|accessdate=October 21, 2020}} After joining the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), the Riverhawks posted a 4–6 record in 2012 and a 2–9 record in 2013. Immediately after the completion of the 2013 season, Evans was let go as head coach.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2013/11/18/northeastern-state-fires-football-coach/3628607/|title=Northeastern State abruptly fires football coach – USA Today|website=usatoday.com|accessdate=October 22, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/sports/statement-from-kenny-evans/article_9f47c8b6-f1d5-5547-8024-eb960f6ed4bc.html|title=Statement from Kenny Evans – Muskogee Phoenix|website=muskogeephoenix.com|accessdate=October 22, 2020}}
After a brief stint as head coach of East Central High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Evans returned to Missouri Southern as defensive coordinator under head coach Denver Johnson in 2015.{{cite web|url=https://mssulions.com/news/2015/4/9/4_9_2015_414.aspx?path=football|title=Denver Johnson names Kenny Evans as new Defensive Coordinator – MSSU Athletics|website=mssulions.com|accessdate=October 22, 2020}} In 2018, Evans returned to the high school level to become defensive coordinator at Rogers High School in Arkansas.{{cite web|url=https://www.joplinglobe.com/sports/evans-to-resign-as-lions-defensive-coordinator/article_0cf270bc-53b4-11e8-b248-dffce8cae084.html|title= Evans to resign as Lions defensive coordinator – Joplin Globe|website=joplinglobe.com|accessdate=October 21, 2020}}
After a 42 year career in coaching, Evans retired in 2023.
Personal life
Evans is married to Tammi, and has one son, Elliott.
Head coaching record
=College=
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Northeastern State RiverHawks
| conf = Lone Star Conference
| startyear = 2008
| endyear = 2010
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| year = 2008
| name = Northeastern State
| overall = 1–10
| conference = 0–9 / 0–5
| confstanding = 13th / 6th (North)
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| year = 2009
| name = Northeastern State
| overall = 2–9
| conference = 2–7 / 2–3
| confstanding = 11th / 4th (North)
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = division
| year = 2010
| name = Northeastern State
| overall = 6–5
| conference = 6–4 / 5–1
| confstanding = 5th / 1st (North)
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Northeastern State RiverHawks
| conf = Division II Independent
| startyear = 2011
| endyear = single
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| year = 2011
| name = Northeastern State
| overall = 7–5
| conference =
| bowlname = Mineral Water Bowl
| bowloutcome = L
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Northeastern State RiverHawks
| conf = Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association
| startyear = 2012
| endyear = 2013
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| year = 2012
| name = Northeastern State
| overall = 4–6
| conference = 4–6
| confstanding = 10th
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| year = 2013
| name = Northeastern State
| overall = 2–9
| conference = 2–8
| confstanding = 13th
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Northeastern State
| overall = 22–42
| confrecord = 14–34
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
| overall = 22–42
| bowls = no
| poll = no
| polltype =
}}
=High school=
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = East Central Cardinals
| conf =
| startyear = 2014
| endyear = single
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2014
| name = East Central
| overall = 3–6
| conference = 3–3
| confstanding = 5th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = East Central
| overall = 3–6
| confrecord = 3–3
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
| overall = 3–6
| bowls = no
| poll = no
| polltype =
| legend = no
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Twitter|coachevans1960}}
- [https://goriverhawksgo.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/kenny-evans/15 Northeastern State profile]
{{Northeastern State RiverHawks football coach navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Evans, Kenny}}
Category:Florida Gators football players
Category:Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football coaches
Category:Missouri Southern Lions football coaches
Category:North Texas Mean Green football coaches
Category:Northeastern State RiverHawks football coaches
Category:Oklahoma Sooners football coaches
Category:Southeastern Oklahoma State Savage Storm football coaches