With Dave Doeren's Help, KaTron Evans Now Eligible For NC State’s Season Opener

A judge rules that KaTron Evans can temporarily rejoin the team for its matchup against Virginia on Aug. 29. The remainder of Evans’ season hangs in the balance.

Jul 15, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State head coach Dave Doeren speaks to the media during ACC Media Days at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On Tuesday, federal Judge Louise A. Flanagan extended Marshall transfer KaTron Evans’ eligibility to Aug. 29th. She had previously allowed Evans to participate in team activities until Aug. 24.

This latest extension guarantees that Evans will be available for NC State’s season opener against Virginia. 

How We Got Here

Evans played in 32 career games and was set to bring his experience to an NC State defensive line that could’ve really benefited from his leadership. 

The NCAA denied Evans’ hardship waiver on July 24, with NC State removing the player from the team’s roster soon thereafter. 

Ready For A Fresh Start 

Evans was seeking a sixth year of eligibility after playing two seasons at Jackson State (2021-22) and two seasons at Charlotte (2023-24). Last season, Evans played at Marshall under former NC State defensive coordinator Tony Gibson.  

Evans joined the Wolfpack in January and was even a full participant at spring football and offseason training. 

But after the NCAA denied his waiver, he was forced to stay home while his potential teammates reported to camp. 

This was undoubtedly another setback for Evans, who sought to join NC State after experiencing tragedy in his personal life in 2023. 

Doeren Comes To Evans’ Defense

The News & Observer reported that Evans’ waiver application was submitted when Evans experienced two deaths in his family and his mother was evicted from her home while he was playing at Charlotte. Joining the Wolfpack would’ve been a fresh start for Evans. 

Head Coach Dave Doeren came to Evans’ defense in a written letter to the court, as you’d expect a coach in Doeren’s position to do. 

But Doeren made a very honest and heartfelt plea for why Evans deserves to be at NC State. 

Evans put in the work after slipping academically during this emotionally difficult period to get himself back on track and graduate. 

It was a touching letter by Doeren and one that makes it easy to root for Evans, who is expected to be a major contributor to the program this season. 

The transfer from Marshall for the defensive front made 12 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss last year, after starting his career at Charlotte, making eight stops with 1.5 tackles for loss and a scoop-and-score fumble recovery.

His status for the rest of the season remains unclear, though. His football fate will be decided during a formal ruling on Sept. 9, two days before the team’s home opener against Richmond.