LINCOLN — Hours after Ciante Evans arrived on campus at Nebraska last summer, he met Niles Paul on the practice field.

Evans, at 185 pounds, surrendered some 40 pounds and more than three years to Paul, the Huskers' most veteran receiver. But with preseason All-America cornerback Prince Amukamara nursing an injury, Evans stepped in to defend Paul, known as one of the most physical players in the country at his position.

“That's a bold move for a freshman to come out and guard me,” Paul said.

This was just an informal drill, seven on seven without pads and no coaches present. But the competitive juices always flow for Paul, and he viewed his first encounter with Evans as an opportunity to teach the kid a thing or two about the college game.

Instead, it was Paul who walked away in surprise.

“He shocked me with his skills,” Paul said. “He can cover. He can cover real well. He's definitely a competitor. He got my respect that day.”

So it came as no surprise to Paul or many NU teammates when Evans, who turned 18 three weeks ago, replaced injured cornerback Alfonzo Dennard in the first quarter of Nebraska's 31-17 win Saturday over Missouri.

Evans recorded four tackles and a pass breakup. He consistently fared well against Mizzou receivers in his first significant playing time as the only true freshman defender at Nebraska to bypass a redshirt season this fall.

“I thought he really rose to the occasion,” coach Bo Pelini said.

The baby-faced Evans talks in soft tones and looks more like a high school freshman than a budding star in the Nebraska secondary. But there's no mistaking his ability.

“He's a real talent, but at the same time, he's got a good understanding of football,” defensive coordinator Carl Pelini said. “He has a certain swagger and savvy about him, a real confident guy.”

Nebraska coaches noticed in August the same qualities in Evans that Paul had seen a few weeks prior. If any rookie was going to crack the rotation on defense this fall, Carl Pelini said, he'd have to earn the spot.

Evans, out of Juan Seguin High School in Arlington, Texas, learned the scheme quickly. By September, he rose to the position of No. 3 cornerback behind Amukamara and Dennard, who rate as perhaps the top tandem in the nation.

What made Evans stand out?

“His understanding of our system,” secondary coach Marvin Sanders said. “We taught it at a third-year level. A lot of guys got lost in the translation a little bit. He didn't. He understood it very well. Smart kid. It helps.”

Dennard immediately took to Evans, who describes the junior as “mentor” and a “brother.” Carl Pelini, in fact, compared Evans' play this year to Dennard's growth as a true freshman in 2008.

When Dennard went down after a hit in the head from NU safety Courtney Osborne on Saturday, Evans felt bad for his friend but composed himself in time to play.

“I'm just proud overall that I did the little things first,” Evans said.

In addition to his solid coverage, Evans played well in run support. His third-down hit stopped Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert near the goal line during the Huskers' second-half stand that helped turn momentum back toward Nebraska.

“I was overwhelmed, actually, when I stopped him,” Evans said. “I knew that my defense had my back, so it was crazy. He's a big guy, but I had to do everything in my power for him not to get in the end zone.”

Dennard has yet to return to practice and looks unlikely to play Saturday against Iowa State. So Evans appears in line for his first start. Still, he's not changing his attitude. He said he prays every night for Dennard's healthy return.

And Evans won't get a big head as a result of his early success. He said he still must learn much about his responsibilities on the field.

“It's like the old adage,” Sanders said, “if they don't bark when they're puppies, they're not going to bite when they're dogs. He had that early on, so all we can do is help him to find his skill.”

Contact the writer:

402-444-1031, mitch.sherman@owh.com

twitter.com/mitchsherman

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