Phillip has battled through difficulty on and off the field in the past year and has overcome the odds to be a dominant linebacker as a senior. Off the field, his mom passed away in the spring which was obviously a very difficult situation for a young man. On the field, Phillip has battled injuries throughout his career and was demoted to third string linebacker during spring ball. He did not play in the first two games of the season, then moved into the starting lineup in game three and is tied for the team lead in tackles.