Santa Barbara City College players Jarred Evans, left, and Morgan Nevin, right, have committed to Cincinnati and Sacramento State.
Two of the top players on SBCC?s football team signed letters-of-intent to continue at four-year universities on Wednesday during the NCAA early signing period. Quarterback Jarred Evans signed with Cincinnati and linebacker Morgan Nevin committed to Sacramento State during a press conference in the La Playa Stadium press box that was attended by family, friends and SBCC President Dr. Lori Gaskin.
Evans will join a Cincinnati team that went 9-3 this year under first-year coach Tommy Tuberville. Cincinnati moved to the American Athletic Conference this year and finished third with a 6-2 record. The Bearcats will play North Carolina in the Belk Bowl on Dec. 28.
Evans, a 6-3 sophomore from Queens, N.Y., played in five games for SBCC this year, after suffering a season-ending injury in Week 6. He led the Vaqueros in passing (83-for-155, 1,179 yards, 13 TDs) and was second in rushing (266 yards). He had his best game of the year in a 27-24 win over Compton, completing 17-of-24 passes for 321 yards and four touchdowns.
?One major reason I chose Cincinnati was I would be closer to home and I miss my family,? said Evans. ?Darin Hinshaw (QB coach) is a great coach and Tommy Tuberville, who played at Texas Tech, is a legendary coach. I have a great opportunity there and I?m looking forward to it.?
Evans will move to Cincinnati later this week and enroll in classes.
?I spent two years at SBCC and it was a fantastic experience,? Evans added. ?Craig Moropoulos is a great coach and he?s been one of my father figures. He taught me a lot about football.?
Morgan Nevin, a 6-1 sophomore linebacker from Truckee, Calif., was named first-team All-American Pacific Conference for the second straight year. He led the state in tackles with 139 (15.4 per game). On Nov. 2, he set a school record with 28 tackles, including 10 solo, against Santa Monica. He also led the Vaqueros in tackles for loss (11.5), sacks (6.5) and fumble recoveries (3). His 80-yard fumble return in Week 2 was the longest touchdown of the year.
As a freshman in 2012, Nevin was an All-State Region 5 pick and ranked No. 1 among Southern Cal tacklers with 118.
Sacramento State is a Football Championship Subdivision school that went 5-7 this year. The Hornets compete in the 13-team Big Sky Conference that includes Cal Poly, Eastern Washington, Montana and UC Davis. They opened this year with games at San Jose State and Arizona State.
Sacramento is about 100 miles from Nevin?s hometown of Truckee.
?I wanted to play close to home,? said Nevin. ?Family is a big part of what I?m about. My parents love to come watch me play. The Big Sky is a good conference and I felt this was the best fit for me.
?It was a phenomenal experience here in Santa Barbara, helping turn the team around the last two years. We?ve come a long way as a team and a coaching staff. It?s been a good ride.?
SBCC started the season 6-0 in 2013 and finished with the most wins (7-3) since 1991.
?When you sign in mid-year like these guys did, it means you?re academically ready to go,? said Moropoulos. ?That?s a credit to the work they?ve put in. Needless to say, their football abilities are tremendous. We?re very proud of them.
?These guys have shown great character. They both went to four-year schools out of high school and it wasn?t a good fit, for whatever reason. They decided to come to community college and had a great experience.
?It?s all about character and I know they?ll be successful.?
