Most Impactful Rebels for 2019: No. 2 Scottie Phillips
OXFORD, Miss. — As we count down the days until the Ole Miss season opener against Memphis in the Liberty Bowl, we are releasing who we think the Top 50 Most Impactful Players will be for the Rebels this season. This series is a way for Ole Miss fans to learn more about players to keep an eye on this fall.
With 2 days before kickoff, coming in at No. 2…
Scottie Phillips
Scottie Phillips was a four-star running back, according to ESPN, at Jones County Junior College (JCJC) when he signed with Ole Miss in the Class of 2018.
As a freshman at JCJC, the 5-foot-8, 211-pound Phillips rushed for 1,212 yards along with 14 touchdowns on his way to NJCAA Honorable Mention All-America honors. As a sophomore, he ran for over 1,070 yards and 13 more touchdowns before early enrolling at Ole Miss back in January of 2018.
Scottie Phillips' Career Awards and Recognition
2019 Doak Walker Award Watch List • 2019 Maxwell Award Watch List • 2019 Preseason All-SEC Third Team (Athlon, Lindy, Phil Steele) • 2018 Athletic Director’s Fall Honor Roll
In his first season in the Red and Blue, Phillips appeared in 11 games, making starts in ten of them. He rushed for 927 yards and was on pace to be a 1,000-yard back before injuries caused him to miss playing time towards the end of a long season. At the end of 2018, he ranked 5th in the SEC in total touchdowns (14) and with 3rd in rushing touchdowns (12).
16 carries
204 rush yds
2 touchdownsScottie Phillips is the first @OleMissFB player with 200+ rushing yards in a game since @BB_HulkSmash in 2010. pic.twitter.com/bAqJvjg3j5
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) September 1, 2018
Running backs coach Derrick Nix spoke about the success Phillips had last season as well as the challenge of having to produce this season as he bears the weight of even more expectations.
No one in the SEC converted carries into first downs or touchdowns at a higher rate than Scottie Phillips. pic.twitter.com/fLInKbiEgI
— PFF College (@PFF_College) July 20, 2019
“I think last year was a great experience for him,” Nix began. “He got a chance to get his feet wet, to know what the SEC is about and know what is expected. He did really well last year until he got his injury,” he added.
“I think he is rising up to the challenge. Everyone says it’s a lot tougher now when there are expectations on you, but I think no one has higher expectations than Scottie. So, I look for big things from him this season coming up. Him being a senior, this is his last go around of playing collegiate football. I think he has taken the bull by the horn so far.”
RB Coach Derrick Nix on Scottie Phillips
Coach Nix challenged Phillips in the offseason to step into more of a leadership role. “He’s not always vocal, but he’s going to be a guy with the ball under his arms a lot,” Nix explained. “I think he can lead by example by how he prepares himself every day and how he competes.”
Leading by example has been Phillips’ approach with the true freshman running backs Jerrion Ealy and Snoop Conner. After practice Tuesday, Ealy spoke about what Phillips has taught him.
“Patience,” Ealy said.
“I’ve become a more patient back. At first, I was kind of hitting the holes too early and not allowing my blocks to fully set up. So now watching his run scheme and watching him just go about his thing every day, he’s taught me a lot of patience.”
Jerrion Ealy on what he’s learned from Phillips
Earlier in camp, Conner, like Ealy, credited Phillips for helping him learn the different schemes. “He’s teaching me how to run the ball and different fronts and stuff. He’s getting me right,” said Conner.
Phillips could be asked to carry the football upwards of thirty snaps a game, so don’t be surprised to see him eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in 2019. And if he stays healthy and runs like he did last season, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to see him potentially reach the 1,500-yard mark.
Watch for No. 22 on the field this fall!
Most Impactful Rebels for 2019
2. Scottie Phillips
3. MoMo Sanogo
4. Elijah Moore
5. Benito Jones
6. Jaylon Jones
7. Alex Givens
8. Josiah Coatney
9. Ben Brown
10. Lakia Henry
11. Sam Williams
12. Qaadir Sheppard
13. Jacquez Jones
14. Miles Battle
15. Jerrion Ealy
16. Braylon Sanders
17. Eli Johnson
18. Myles Hartsfield
19. Dontario Drummond
20. Jon Haynes
21. Montrell Custis
22. Demarcus Gregory
23. Bryce Mathews
24. Royce Newman
25. Tylan Knight
26. Tariqious Tisdale
27. Octavious Cooley
28. Jalen Julius
29. Luke Logan
30. Nick Broeker
31. Austrian Robinson
32. Quentin Bivens
33. Willie Hibbler
34. Isaiah Woullard
35. Jadon Jackson
36. Grant Tisdale, Kinkead Dent, John Rhys Plumlee
37. Keidron Smith
38. Snoop Conner
39. Michael Howard
40. Vernon Dasher
41. Ryder Anderson
42. D’Vaughn Pennamon
43. C.J. Miller
44. Charles Wiley
45. Sincere David
46. Mac Brown
47. Jason Pellerin
48. Chandler Tuitt
49. Dannis Jackson
50. Jonathan Mingo
Derrell Hart
Derrell has covered Ole Miss athletics in the past for Rebels247 at 247Sports. He attended Delta State University where he graduated with a B.S. in Biology. He is currently pursuing his Pharm.D. at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy with an expected graduation of May, 2020.
