Vols land Phillips, continue surge

SAN ANTONIO --- A banner start to the 2015 year received another major boost here Saturday at the Alamodome at the annual U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Four-star defensive end and coveted in-state prospect Kyle Phillips from Nashville's Hillsboro High School verbally committed to Tennessee in what was essentially an 11th-hour turnaround for Butch Jones' Tennessee program. Phillips declared for the Vols on national TV near the start of the contest televised by NBC Sports.

"I made my final decision (Friday) night when I met with my mom for dinner, and we decided as a family that Tennessee was the best option for me," Phillips, a freakishly athletic presence with exceptionally long arms that make blocking him problematic for foes, shared with VolQuest.com this morning.

Phillips, tugged by several close friends already on the Vols' roster, also noted this was a long-term decision extending well beyond the football field.

"Post-graduate opportunities that I will have from the University of Tennessee, and I think their program is going in the right direction and I want to be a part of it," Phillips, who surged to national prominence as a recruit from his work with Nashville-based National Playmakers Academy and In Full Motion, with Buck Fitzgerald, said of the final factors.

Phillips had exclusively told VolQuest.com just days before Christmas that he had the LSU Tigers out front, and Ole Miss gained major traction late last week and earlier this week.

"Very relieved," Phillips said of ending the process. "My three options were all very good options, and it was really tough to make the decision on one school out of the bunch."

But myriad factors, including Phillips' comfort on Rocky Top and bevy of close friends on the Vols' squad, helped Tennessee land its second major public commitment of the week. Heralded junior college cornerback Justin Martin revealed his Tennessee choice midweek, also eliminating LSU in the wake of the Tigers' abrupt change at defensive coordinator. Former LSU charge John Chavis had assured Tigers' staff members he was staying put and then quickly accepted the same spot on Kevin Sumlin's Texas A&M staff following the Tigers' loss to Notre Dame in the Music City Bowl.

The 6-foot-3, 259-pound Phillips accumulated nearly 25 major-college scholarship offers during the recruiting process, but he never forgot that Tennessee was his first, referencing it before cutting off media interviews around Christmas and shortly after his graduation from Hillsboro.

Phillips, along with Vols commitment Vincent Perry, helped lead the Burros to a Class 5A runner-up finish in 2014 despite playing with a banged up shoulder. He didn't get caught up in the emotions of Tennessee's dominant win against Iowa in Friday's TaxSlayer Bowl; instead he pointed to the relationships with both future position coach Steve Stripling and defensive coordinator John Jancek as key elements.

"It was good to see that they played so well; I didn't get to see most of it, but it was good to see Tennessee have such a great performance," Phillips said. "You know, one of the deciding factors was meeting and spending time with Steve Stripling and John Jancek and getting to know them better on my (official) visit. That was really an important factor."

Now, Phillips' family bond with a number of Midstate Vols --- such as Freshman All-America end Derek Barnett, his host last month --- and family proximity have Tennessee lined up as his destination when he reports to Rocky Top next week.

"That's a big plus. I know I'll be comfortable there with guys that I've known for a long time and have a good relationship with. I know I'll be comfortable at the University of Tennessee," he said. "It was really important. I'm a family-oriented person, and my mother has been a great inspiration to me. It's important to me that my mom and my family get to see me play as often as possible."