When Ross Evans entered high school, he had never touched a football. He did, however, know how to kick a ball.

“I played soccer for a really long time, ever since I was in first grade all the way up till seventh grade,” Evans said. “That’s when I went to Burnet [high school] and they didn’t have a soccer team.”

A classmate encouraged Evans to try out for the football team as a kicker. He made the team and has been placekicking ever since.

Evans, now a senior for the Frogs,holds the TCU record for extra points made and is fourth in field goals made.

Evans has been on the Lou Groza award watch list his entire tenure at TCU. The honor is special to Evans but he doesn’t let it distract him.

“It’s a pretty prestigious thing to be on one of those watch lists but I can’t really let that bother me because I have to focus on the game,” Evans said. 

Playing all four years at TCU has left Evans with many memories, but the two that stand out were early in his collegiate career. 

“The kick at Stanford my freshman year was in the pouring rain,” Evans said. “We had to kick it to clinch the game and put a two possession game so they couldn’t score and beat us.”

He said the Air Force game his sophomore year was another cold game where he couldn’t even feel his feet. He made two field goals to seal the win. 

Some kickers have trouble with all the screaming fans and excitement but Evans doesn’t let their presence bother him. In fact, he uses it to his advantage.

“I’m more calm,” Evans said. “It gets to some people but me personally it makes me more confident. I don’t know why, but it does.”

Evans said he hopes to play professionally someday; otherwise he will pursue a career in his field of study, environmental earth resources. 

For now, Evans is focusing on the upcoming season and leaving TCU as a kicker remembered for making all the right plays.  

“I want to leave here knowing that I’m a kicker that everybody remembers for the right things, not the wrong,” Evans said. “That’s all I really care about.”