“Honestly, I didn’t except all of this,” Phillips said. “Because of my height, I didn’t know when or if the process would start. I never saw myself with 30 offers. It’s something I have long prayed for. Now I’m able to get to talk to alot of great coaches. Meet alot of really good people. It’s just a blessing.”
Phillips is 5-10 and 180 pounds. His combination of physical play and his quickness is what he believes has made him a wanted man.
“I think I separate myself from other guys with my style of play,” Phillips offered. “I have alot of versatility, I can play anywhere on the field. With my quickness, I think I separate myself from other guys because I can cover the quicker/slot type receivers regardless of where they line up.”
Last week, Tennessee assistant coach Terry Fair checked in on Phillips at La Habra High School. What he has seen and heard about the Vols has gotten his attention.
“I have been talking to them some,” Phillips said. “Coach Fair has been recruiting me. That’s a school that I have been looking at. They have been a pretty good program. Tennessee is a great school.”
Phillips’ plan in the coming weeks is to narrow his list of schools to 10. Phillips said cutting his list won’t be easy but he has some baseline criteria that he believes will help him.
“I’m ok with with leaving home. I have to have a great relationship with my position coach. If they don’t have something that I want to major in then that would eliminate them,” Phillips said. “I want to major in sports medicine with kinesiology What are the guys like in the program? Can I associate myself with them? I want to make sure I can align myself with my coaches and teammates.”
Phillips has family in Alabama and Texas and said some schools in the South are appealing, as are schools like Washington, Cal, who he will likely see in February, and Notre Dame.
“I’m definitely learning as I go,” Phillips said of the recruiting process. “All these places that are recruiting me are fantastic schools. I’m starting to narrow it down so that I can find the best fit for me. That fit is a school that has great coaching and what I want academically. I’m looking for a place that I can make me a better person.”
After narrowing his list to 10 schools or so, Phillips hopes to get to make several trips around the country as he tries to keep a handle on what can be a very stressful process.
“It’s almost to the point that it’s overwhelming,” Phillips admits. “Two years ago I would have been dying to get to talk to someone. It’s just a blessing. It’s a great sport.”
