Zach Evans shares emotions entering season-opener against Troy: 'I'm very pissed'

Ole Miss running back Zach Evans shared his incredible mindset for his upcoming SEC debut against Troy and every future opponent. Evans promised that he would be running angry for their season opener on Saturday, stating that he was going to “display that type of feeling on Troy.”

Zach Evans running angry against Troy

Evans was asked after practice on Tuesday if he had any specific emotions he was feeling before his first SEC game, even if their opponent this week wasn’t a conference matchup. The TCU transfer answered quickly and simply, giving an incredible promise about the damage he intended to do on Saturday.

“I’m very pissed [and] angry. I’m ready to display that type of feeling on Troy.”

After giving his answer, Evans was asked a follow-up question about that mindset — whether it was his mindset every game day or just for Troy.

“It’s going to get worse every Saturday, but it’s going to get worse for Troy because they [the] first game.”

Evans smiled as he made his promise, but his intensity was definitely on full display. Evans will be making his SEC debut after two seasons with TCU where he averaged 7.3 yards per run and racked up nine touchdowns on the ground and one receiving score.

The chance to star at Ole Miss is a special one according to Evans, as he follows in the footsteps of his cousin — D’vaughn Pennamon. Pennamon was a running back for the Rebels from 2016 through 2019, and Evans remembers watching from the stands as his cousin played on the field.

“It’s real surreal to me,” Evans said. “I’ve kind of taken it personal because my cousin, D’Vaughn Pennamon, he used to go here. Me coming to his games, watching how he played and how he attacked the field every day. It make me want to go out there and do better than how he was.”