Hall of Fame
Gary Evans used an outstanding high school career in Mendon, Ill., as a springboard to an athletic career at the university in the early to mid-1970's. In 1975 he captured second-team Associated Press Little All-America football accolades and was a unanimous All-MIAA selection. He still shares the NCAA Division II record for most interceptions in a single game (5). In addition to that school record he holds Bulldog marks for most interceptions in a single season (11) and in a career (15). Mr. Evans was also a three-time track All-American as a relay team performer. While in college he received the Rollins H. Brownlee and G.H. Jamison-P.O. Selby trophies and R.E. Valentine academic scholarship. After graduation in the mid-1970's he had free-agent tryouts with the Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL. In the late 1970's Mr. Evans served first as a graduate assistant and then as defensive secondary coach for the Bulldog football team, while working toward a master's degree. He left the university in 1980 for a position at the University of Nebraska-Omaha as assistant football coach for seven years, serving as defensive coordinator the last four of those seasons. In 1987 Mr. Evans was appointed to the Northern Illinois University football coaching staff. He is now in his fourth years as defensive secondary coach.
