IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Iowa football team received some good news on Wednesday when defensive end Joe Evans announced that he would return next season.

The former walk-on quarterback from Ames will use his free Covid year and return for a sixth season.

Evans has been a key contributor over the past two seasons, starting all 13 games this past season.

He finished the 2022 regular season with eight tackles for loss, six sacks and four quarterback hurries.

He also had seven tackles for loss, seven sacks and six quarterback hurries as a junior in 2021.

Against Ohio State this season, Evans forced a fumble and scored his first career touchdown on an 11-yard return in the first quarter.

Evans’ announcement comes a day after third-year sophomore defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness announced that he would declare for the 2023 NFL draft where he projects to be picked perhaps as high as the first round.

With Evans having now chosen to return to Iowa, the focus shifts to fellow senior defensive linemen Noah Shannon and John Waggoner, and on senior linebacker Seth Benson, all of whom could also use their free Covid year to return next season.

Evans was part of an Iowa defense that held Kentucky scoreless in the 21-0 victory in the Music City Bowl this past Saturday in Nashville, Tennessee.

Iowa also held nine opponents to 10 or fewer points this season.

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— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) January 4, 2023