Kenny Phillips

CAREER: Considered by many to be the best safety in America…Will be a leading candidate for the Jim Thorpe Award as the best defensive back in college football…Was named to virtually every All-Freshman team in 2005 and was named third-team All-America as a sophomore in 2006 despite missing three games with an injury…In two seasons, has started 21 of 22 games played…Has two-year totals of 159 tackles (111 solo), nine tackles for loss, two QB pressures, one fumble recovery, 10 pass breakups and five interceptions…Team’s leading interceptor in 2006…Has the most starts of any returning player in the secondary…UM coaches say he has “the body of Sean Taylor and the knowledge and speed of Ed Reed”…Had a stellar prep career in which he was the nation’s top safety prospect and USA Today High School Defensive Player of the Year in 2004…Made an immediate impact as a freshman in 2005, starting the final 11 games of the season…Was named ACC Defensive Back of the Week following his first collegiate start in Clemson’s Death Valley in 2005 (he ended that three-overtime game with an interception)…Excellent player in run support…Physical big hitter and outstanding man-to-man cover defender…Ball hawk who has great range, speed, power and has a nose for the ball…Quick learner who developed into a team leader as a true freshman…Has a great understanding of defensive football to go with poise and confidence…Sports administration major.

2006 (SOPHOMORE): Selected third-team All-America by Rivals.com and second-team All-ACC, even though he missed the final three regular-season games with a broken thumb…One of eight UM players who were selected to the 2006 ACC Academic Football Team…Named the team’s Defensive Back of the Year…Finished fourth on the team with 71 tackles and led the team with four interceptions, including three in one game at Duke…Added six tackles for loss and six pass breakups…Started all nine games in which he played…Made eight or more tackles in five of his 10 games…Ranked fifth in the ACC in interceptions per game (0.40)…In the season opener against Florida State, made seven solo tackles, with two tackles for loss and one pass defensed…A week later vs. Florida A&M, tallied one solo tackle and one assist…Registered nine tackles (seven solo) in Week 3 at Louisville…Made a team-high 11 tackles (10 solo) vs. Houston, and then 11 more tackles (six solo) against North Carolina…Registered six tackles (three solo), with one tackle for loss vs. Florida International. Also made his first interception of the season…Had one of the best games of his career at Duke. Started at safety but also played some cornerback for the first time in his career. Saw action on all 70 plays, making four solo tackles (one for a loss). Also intercepted three passes, tying a school record set by eight other players a total of 10 times. Named ACC Defensive Back of the Week. Gave him four interceptions in the last two games…Started at Georgia Tech and despite a broken thumb suffered in practice a few days before the game. Registered a team-high nine tackles (six solo), with two tackles for loss and one pass breakup…Started against Virginia Tech and played the entire game with a cast, making four tackles (three solo), with one tackle for loss…Did not play the next three games (Maryland, Virginia, Boston College)…Returned in time for the MPC Computers Bowl against Nevada and totaled eight tackles (six solo).

2005 (FRESHMAN): Named to All-Freshman teams by The Sporting News, Rivals.com and CollegeFootballNews.com…Voted to the All-ACC Freshman Team…Started the final 11 games of the year at free safety, replacing an injured Anthony Reddick…Ranked third on the team with 88 tackles (58 solo), with three tackles for loss, one interception, four pass breakups, two QB pressures and one fumble recovery…Had five games with nine or more tackles…Did not start the season opener at Florida State but took over at free safety in the second quarter after Reddick was injured. Made one assisted tackle and one QB pressure…Made his first start in the next game at Clemson and was named ACC Defensive Back of the Week. Was UM’s defensive player of the game after leading the team with 13 tackles (nine solo). Intercepted a pass in the third overtime to end the game and give Miami the victory…Made seven tackles (five solo) and one pass breakup in his Orange Bowl debut vs. Colorado…A week later vs. South Florida, made seven more tackles (three solo)…Notched nine tackles (five solo), one tackle for loss and one QB pressure vs. Duke…Playing barely a half for the second week in a row, tallied seven tackles (three solo) and one pass breakup at Temple…Registered nine tackles (six solo) against North Carolina…Played into the third quarter at Virginia Tech before leaving the game with a groin injury. Made three tackles (one solo)…Started at Wake Forest but sat out the second half of a 47-17 victory. Still led the team with 11 tackles (nine solo) and one tackle for loss…Made seven tackles (six solo), with one tackle for a loss vs. Georgia Tech…Started his 10th consecutive game vs. Virginia and tallied 10 tackles (eight solo), with one pass breakup…Made four tackles (three solo) against Louisiana State in the Peach Bowl.

HIGH SCHOOL: Nation’s top safety prospect and USA Today Defensive Player of the Year…Intercepted 16 passes in high school…As a senior in 2004, played free safety and finished with 84 tackles, six interceptions, three fumble recoveries, four defensive touchdowns and three punt returns for touchdowns…Played in the prestigious Army All-American Bowl…As a junior, made 54 tackles and seven interceptions, returning two of them for touchdowns, including a 100-yarder…As a sophomore, made three interceptions…Also competed in basketball and track in high school…Parade All-American and selected to the PrepStar Top 100 Dream Team…Member of the USA Today All-USA High School Football team and named the Defensive Player of the Year…Rated the nation’s No. 1 safety prospect and the No. 12 player regardless of position by Rivals.com…Ranked as the No. 1 safety and the No. 10 overall prospect by Scout.com…The No. 1 prospect in Dade County by the Miami Herald…Ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the state by the Orlando Sentinel, the No. 2 overall prospect in the country by the Tampa Tribune, and the No. 10 overall player by Tom Lemming…Member of the Florida Times-Union Super 75…Chose Miami over Tennessee…Coached by Walt Frazier.

KENNY PHILLIPS’ CAREER STATISTICS

KENNY PHILLIPS’ CAREER HIGHS
Total tackles 13 (at Clemson 2005)
Solo tackles 10 (vs. Houston 2006)
Assists 5 (vs. North Carolina 2006)
Interceptions 3 (at Duke 2006)