Phillips

JARVIS PHILLIPS

Position: Cornerback

Height/weight: 6-0, 189

In high school: Phillips had an outstanding senior season at Dallas Carter, playing quarterback and leading the Cowboys to a 12-1 record. He rushed for 884 yards and 10 touchdowns and passed for 904 yards and eight TDs. That earned him scholarship offers from Louisiana Tech, North Texas, Rice, Tulsa, Colorado State, Iowa and Kansas.

At the moment: Tech defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill made an unsolicited suggestion to choose Phillips for this week’s Red Raiders Backstage because of how well he’s done lately.

“Every Thursday night, he gets better and better,” McNeill said, referring to the team’s weekly post-practice scrimmage for young players. “You see him making play after play. Jarvis is really doing good at corner.”

That wasn’t a given since Phillips didn’t play much defense in high school.

“You see him come up and make a hit. You see him break on the ball better. You see him play with (proper) pad level the whole day. It’s little things like that that you notice. It’s not any special plays in particular. It’s just his development.”

Tech’s last Dallas Carter quarterback – Mike Crabtree – was a spectacular investment. Like Crabtree, Tech coaches liked that Phillips starred on his football and basketball teams both, playing point guard for the latter.

McNeill said Phillips runs well and has powerful legs and explosion. Tech could have put that to use at several skill positions, but McNeill was vocal about having Phillips on his side.

“He wanted to play receiver,” McNeill said, “but that was a deal where I wanted him on defense.”

Compiled by Don Williams