When Shaquelle Evans purchased one of those video games that does its best to mimic real-life college football, one of the first things he noticed was how low he was on the game’s version of the Notre Dame depth chart.

So he did something about it.
“When you own the game, you can move yourself up,” the Notre Dame freshman wide receiver said, “so I moved myself up to No. 1.”

When ND’s real depth chart was released earlier this month, Evans again found himself at the bottom. And just like with the video game, Evans is doing something about that.

Evans may not be No. 1, not with Michael Floyd and Golden Tate holding monopolies on the two starting spots, but he’s closer to the top than he is the bottom.

“You could really noticeably see him improving and getting more confidence in what he’s doing,” Notre Dame assistant head coach for offense/wide receivers coach Rob Ianello said. “He’s a fast-twitch athlete. He’s got good hands. He’s got very good speed. He’s a big body. So I’m really pleased with how he’s come along so far.”

How far Evans has come is known, but exactly where he’s going remains to be seen.
The goal right now is finding his best position. Physically, the 6-foot-1, 203-pound Evans is built more along the lines of Tate, and there’s a case for Evans backing up the speedster.

But the thought of having two burners on the field at the same time intrigues Irish coach Charlie Weis.
Regardless of the position, Evans appears to be a lock to see the field early. Credit his natural ability, but also credit his pushing of Ianello to send him film prior to his arrival in South Bend this summer.

“Being scared of not being able to learn it, I wanted to get a head start,” Evans said. “He sent me some stuff and it helped me because I have some of it down. Not all of it. But it gave me a foundation. So it was easier when I got out here.”

When Evans arrived this summer from Inglewood, Calif., he fought a little homesickness. But Evans, one of the quieter members of the team, has fit in well, on and off the field.

“Well, around me he’s a quiet kid,” Weis quipped. “That doesn’t mean he’s a quiet kid around everyone else. But I think by nature — I wouldn’t call him shy — I just think he’s not a guy who talks a whole bunch. And that’s been with the team too. He’s friends with a whole bunch of people ... I think that the more comfortable he feels with people, the more he talks.”

On the field, Evans admits, the competitiveness wins out over the quiet side.
“I have different personalities on the field and different personalities off the field,” Evans said. “You’ll see that when the game gets going, you’ll see the other side of me.”

Already, the athletic side has been easy to see.
“I was confident that I would be able to come in and play right away,” Evans said. “I have belief in my abilities and I knew I would come in working hard and I knew I would come in, do whatever I could just to get on the field. And that’s what I’ve been doing, just working hard.

“And it’s paying off so far.”

Kohler goes to Washington
Notre Dame recruiting target Erik Kohler of Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village, Calif., has committed to Washington, the Seattle Times reported.

The 6-foot-5, 285-pound Kohler, an offensive tackle, plays at the same school that current Irish starting quarterback Jimmy Clausen attended. Kohler is the second Oaks Christian player to pick the Huskies in the current recruiting cycle, joining quarterback Nick Montana. Montana, the son of former Irish great Joe Montana, picked Washington over Notre Dame, among others.