Growing up, Mitch Evans wanted to be a Tartar. He was born to be a Tartar. Under now Petal head coach Marcus Boyles, Evans started at quarterback for Boyles, winning back-to-back state titles in 1994 and 1995 with the upstart head coach. Those two seasons Taylorsville went a combined 30-0, 15-0 each season.
“I had one of the best coaches in the state of Mississippi history. That was great, and I learned so much from coach Boyles. I talk to him every day of the week still. I talked to him every day leading up to this game [2A State Championship], so it is great to have a coach like coach Boyles there in your corner,” said Evans.
Evans grew up, became an assistant at Taylorsville, helped win a State Championship as an assistant [2017] and has now won a championship with Taylorsville as head coach along with two-straight South State Championships. In his two seasons as head coach of the Tartars, Evans is 30-2 with Taylorsville and has the most captivating quarterback in the state under center, along with a defense that is just as electric.
Evans believes winning a State Championship as a coach is more fulfilling than winning one as a player, “It is more surreal, enjoyable, and satisfying to coach and lead kids this age. I get to develop those kids into young men and young players,” said the second-year coach.
After taking a 21-7 loss in the 2A State Championship in 2018, Evans wanted one thing: to face Scott Central in 2019 with his quarterback healthy. Fate and an open Week 1 date happened, giving Evans and the Tartars a chance to avenge their loss. They did in a big way, defeating the Rebels, 32-12, in a runaway victory.
Many pointed to Week 3 of the season for their next challenge: Lance Mancuso’s Jefferson Davis County Jaguars. They took care of that challenge, defeating Jefferson Davis County handily, 46-14.
Their one stumble on the season came at the hands of Jackson Prep, but the Tartars rebounded in a big way one week later, defeating rival Bay Springs, who was 6-0 for the first time in nearly 40 years, 42-6.
Their next three out of four opponents were also held to seven points or less. As good as the defense became after the loss, the offense reached another level as the Tartars averaged 46.8 points per game to finish out the regular season.
Evans is quick to credit his team and staff, ”We have a great group of guys. A fantastic coaching staff. Everything we do is a team effort,’ says Evans.
The staff and team led by Evans dominated throughout the playoffs, dispatching Union, Collins and Philadelphia, before playing and defeating Scott Central for the second time in the 2019 season.
Mitch Evans coaches from the sideline in the Class 2A State Championship game in Hattiesburg, MS.
During the week of the MHSAA State Championship the chatter was Taylorsville had not met a team like the Northside Gators, who had allowed only 34 points in the entire season, including playoffs. Northside had not met a team coached by Evans. By the third quarter, Taylorsville had not only scored points on the Gators but had surpassed the points total by every team combined as they sat with 35 points. When the clock struck zero, the Tartars had scored 49 points and claimed their seventh title in program history, with Evans’ handprint imprinted on more than half of them.
“Coach Evans has been around this game for a long time. I appreciate him and what he’s done for me. He takes the time to work out with us. He helps us in the film room, weight room and everything. I appreciate him so much. We have a special relationship. Our bond is so tight. He will let me know little things I did wrong so I can get better and so we can keep moving forward,” said Taylorsville quarterback Ty Keyes, who Evans has helped coach since he was a freshman.
Keyes isn’t the only one Evans has impacted. Running back and 2019 2A State Championship game MVP Jeffery Pittman understands the impact his head coach has made.
“He’s a great coach and a great person. He’s always there for us. He’s there for more than just football. Anything he can help us with, he will try and do it. We know we can come to him in situations to talk and overall he’s a great head coach. Coach always tells us the more time we put in and work, the more things will come through for us.”
The feeling is mutual, according to Evans, “Everybody knows our offense is Ty Keyes, and he is a great player. He should get all the accolades and the things that he gets toward him. But, they forget about our offensive line. They forget about Jeffery [Pittman]. They forget about Travis Keyes and the run game, said the head ball coach.
Evans and the Tartars are far from done. With only 11 seniors set to graduate, his team will be full of talent in the 2020 season. For now, though, Evans, his staff, and players will take some time to soak it all in. It was a season for the ages. A championship season fulfilled and avenged from a heartbreaking disappointment and what-if of the season prior.
