After graduating from college, Evans joined the United States Army Air Corps during World War II, where he stayed until his discharge in 1945.

Evans was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan and moved to Detroit before his family settled in South Bend, Indiana.

[1] Evans attended James Whitcomb Riley High School in South Bend, where he played football, baseball, basketball and track.

[1] Evans attended the University of Notre Dame, where he played at left halfback for the school's football team starting as a sophomore in 1940.

Before a game against the University of Southern California (USC) in 1941, Bill Riordan, a teammate, poured a bucket of water over Evans's head.

[5] In 1945, Evans became the fourth player signed by the Cleveland Browns, a team under formation in the new All-America Football Conference, which was to start play in 1946.

[5] Evans was the first player to score points for the Browns in their inaugural exhibition game on August 30 against the Brooklyn Dodgers at the Akron Rubber Bowl.