Bucknell University Athletics
A Man of Few Words
9/29/2014 9:09:00 AM | Football
Bucknell senior linebacker Evan Byers is a man of few words. He much prefers to let his game do the talking, and he certainly has done that throughout his time as a Bison. In fact, the numbers he has displayed shout loudly about his ability as a football player:
• 19 tackles in 2013 season finale at VMI
• 23 tackles in 2014 season opener vs. VMI to rank 22nd in NCAA FCS history
• First Bison with back-to-back 100-tackle campaigns since the mid-1990s
• 129 tackles in 2013 ranks ninth on program's single-season list
• First Bucknell player to record 300 career tackles since 2006
• Ranks third among all active NCAA FCS players in career tackles (315)
People have taken notice of Byers thanks to the gaudiness of those numbers. He was a Preseason Third Team All-American and a Preseason All-Patriot League selection while also being named to the CFPA Preseason Linebacker Watch List. Those honors compliment his two All-Patriot League citations and two team MVP awards. And he still has seven regular-season games left in his senior season to continue to leave his mark.
“Evan elevates the people around him in the way he prepares, trains and plays,” praises Bison fifth-year head coach Joe Susan. “It is amazing what he has done to become the player he is. Everybody on the team sees him in here studying film and getting in an extra lift during the week. He is so in tune with his body and the nutritional preparation and flexibility needed to be successful. The younger guys see him and learn what it takes to excel.”
Byers plays one of the most important positions in the Bucknell defense alongside classmate Lee Marvel. The three-year starter ranks second nationally in tackles per game (13.0) and is listed first in the Patriot League in total tackles (52).
“Our linebackers are critical,” mentions Susan. “They set the defense and the pressures. Evan began as a safety and I was always impressed by the way he ran. He is so physically strong and has always been that way. He is a very good tackler. When you teach a specific type of tackle and it shows up on film, you know it is sinking in.”
Byers, who is originally from the Scranton area, now calls Raleigh, North Carolina, home. He attended Wyoming Seminary and Trinity-Pawling School before deciding to make Bucknell his college home. With his four years in Lewisburg winding down, the political science major does have aspirations to continue playing football at the next level.
“It will be interesting to see how he is evaluated,” comments Susan, who had a number of players he coached at Rutgers drafted by the National Football League. “He has his production going for him and the fact he received a number of accolades last year. He has to follow that with an excellent year this fall to get them to look at his film. There are people in the NFL not much bigger than him, but I can't sit here and say he is going to be drafted. I do think they will respond to his productivity and evaluate him and once they understand how he prepares and works, that will open their eyes.”
Bison fans had their eyes opened to Byers' abilities a long time ago. They see No. 27 all over the field every game. He came out of this past weekend's Cornell contest with 14 career double-figure tackle outings to go along with 30.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, four interceptions and five pass breakups.
Byers is also a fan favorite at the weekly Bucknell Football Luncheon at La Primavera Restaurant. He typically doesn't say much during the question-and-answer segment, but the lines he does say are memorable. In his first trip to the event this year, a fan asked him what it would take for the team to improve on last year's 6-5 record and contend for a Patriot League title this year. His quick reply, which was accompanied by a wry smile, was, “better coaching.” Laughter ensued as the room awaited a witty comeback from Susan, who could only return the smile while slowly shaking his head in response.
With lighthearted answers like that, Susan will certainly encourage Byers to continue to let his football ability do the talking.
Note: This story appeared in a recent edition of the Bucknell Football Gameday Program and was written by Todd Merriett of the Bucknell Athletic Communications Office.
