Many Laker football fans and players alike arrive on campus with little knowledge about the history of Grand Valley State University’s illustrious Division II football program.

But for junior offensive guard Ian Evans, coming to play football for GVSU was like returning to his home away from home.

Evans’ father, Gary Evans, became the first Laker to play in the National Football League when the former All-American guard signed with the New York Jets in 1975.

“Gary put us on the map, being the first to ever reach the NFL,” said GVSU Athletic Director Tim Selgo. “For us to have someone on the NFL roster from Grand Valley, that’s a major thing. We’ve had some guys since then, but there always has to be someone who’s first. Gary did it back in the day when things weren’t quite as nice at Grand Valley as they are now. To me, that’s a tremendous accomplishment.”

Though the younger Evans was recruited to play at several Division I programs, he said he always felt most comfortable in Allendale.

“I didn’t want to go to a military academy, a bad Division I school, or here,” Ian said. “My dad’s the reason I came here. He stayed out of my decision making, but it was more osmosis. I’ve been coming to Grand Valley games as long as I can remember.”

Ian grew up in Clearwater, Fla. but made several treks north to watch his father’s alma mater on the gridiron.

“I pretty much grew up on GVSU football,” Ian said. “My dad took me to games as far back as I can remember. Playing at the same school as him is great, I love going into the locker room and seeing his jersey on the wall.”

A graduate of Countryside High School, Ian earned the team’s defensive line MVP award as a senior but came to GVSU as an offensive lineman. Last season, former GVSU head coach Chuck Martin turned Evans into a blocking tight end before returning him to the offensive line, though Ian admitted where he plays does not matter.

“I’d like to be (the highlight guy), but I know what I’m best at,” Ian said. “I just go with what helps the team the most.”

In a 2006 interview with the St. Petersburg Times in Florida, Gary said that it did not take long for congratulatory e-mails to fill his inbox once news broke of Ian’s decision to play for the Lakers.

“One of the guys (Jamie Hosford) who played there, who graduated a year before me, he had two sons that were twins that went to Grand Valley,” Gary told the Times. “He sent me an e-mail telling me, ‘You’re going to find out that there’s nothing like the experience of having a second generation. Nothing like it.’”

Though a history of NFL alumni carries certain notoriety, GVSU head coach Matt Mitchell said that he does not push playing professionally while recruiting.

“They know that the NFL is an option, but that’s not why they come to Grand Valley,” Mitchell said. “We don’t want to recruit by trying to sell the NFL dream. We want to recruit kids to Grand Valley based on the education and the opportunity to play on an outstanding team. If a kid’s coming here because of the NFL dream, I don’t think that’s why he should want to be a part of the experience here.”

Evans, a business major, walks past his father’s framed jersey every day in the football center, reminded of his roots, yet mindful of the path he is carving for himself.

“Seeing it used to put a lot of pressure on me, but now I’m used to it because I walk past it so often,” Ian said. “It’s something I’ve been used to seeing for five years.”

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