UAPB’s Mark Evans II is one of four offensive linemen selected by Denny’s to represent the brand’s All-Pancaker Team. The promotion pays homage to the brand’s “favorite block on the field – the pancake block – which these four offensive linemen have perfected.”
Evans, a member of the 2021 first-team All-SWAC offensive team, made the announcement on Twitter Thursday.
Extremely honored to announce my selection to the @DennysDiner #AllPancakerTeam. Catch me at Denny’s grubbing on real pancakes after stacking them up on the field🥞. #ad pic.twitter.com/WTq8GBixNp
— Mark Evans II ⁷⁸ (@EvansII_78) September 2, 2021
“Extremely honored to announce my selection to the @DennysDiner #AllPancakerTeam,” he tweeted. “Catch me at Denny’s grubbing on real pancakes after stacking them up on the field🥞. #ad.”
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Other members of the All-Pancaker Team include Jalen McKenzie (USC), Nicholas Petit-Frere (Ohio State), and Tristan Leigh (Clemson).
“At Denny’s we love college football just as much as we love our pancakes and our patrons, and we’ve been following the careers of these remarkable young players as they’ve perfected pancaking the opposition,” said John Dillon, Denny’s Chief Brand Officer in a statement. “We couldn’t be more excited to work with Jalen, Mark, Nicholas and Tristan as they shape the future of this beloved sport with their hard work on the field and in the classroom.”
With the creation of the team, Denny’s is one of only a handful of brands to bring together a cross-collegiate group of athletes in the wake of the new NIL laws passed in July 2021.
As part of their sponsorships, the student-athletes will participate in Denny’s marketing initiatives, including starring in a signing day video and posting social media content ahead of their game days.
“Given how much all institutions contribute equally to the beauty of the fabric of the country and the activities we enjoy together, it was important to us to bring together a diverse group of athletes from HBCUs and Power Five schools, and we’re thrilled to not just officially sponsor these local star athletes as they build their careers, but to fuel their moves on the field with stacks of our delicious pancakes,” Dillion said.
