With a decision looming, Rivals100 LB Jacob Phillips recaps Alabama visit
With his decision date just 10 days away, Rivals100 linebacker Jacob Phillips returned home from his official visit to Alabama feeling a variety of different emotions. After a fun and informative weekend in Tuscaloosa, Phillips only has one more trip – a visit to Texas A&M this weekend – before announcing his commitment on Oct. 12.
“I had fun at this visit and I’ve had fun on all of them, now it’s really time to sit down and figure out where I want to go,” Phillips said. “I just have to pray on it and rely on my family and my coaches to point me in the right direction.”
Phillips, who was making his second trip to Alabama in the last three months, said he wanted to experience a game live and also get to know the players on the Alabama roster. He left having accomplished those goals.
“It was good to be able to be around the people you would be playing with in the future, those guys are a brotherhood and it was good to see that bond,” Phillips said. “I also got to see how the coaches interact with them and what it’s like for them before, during and after a game.”
Phillips was hosted on the trip by sophomore linebacker Jamey Mosley, a reserve for the Tide and the younger brother of former Alabama standout C.J. Mosley. Phillips said the two had plenty of time to talk about what being a part of the Alabama family means.
“He explained the culture of Alabama and what it means to be a part of it,” Phillips said. “He walked on there because he wanted to be a part of it and he earned a scholarship so it shows just how much it means.”
Phillips recruitment has mainly been handled by offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin but Phillips said he and his family got a chance to spent plenty of time with head coach Nick Saban and defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt on the trip.
“I really talk to all three of them regularly,” Phillips said. “But Coach Pruitt is going to be my position coach and the defensive coordinator so we talked and had some good conversations and my parents like him a lot.”
Following the commitment of Dylan Moses over the weekend, Alabama has four linebackers committed in the 2017 class, plus a roster loaded with former four and five-star recruits. Phillips said he’s not worried about the depth chart in Tuscaloosa, as long as he knows he will get a chance to compete for a job when he arrives on campus.
“They’re not afraid to play guys early, they are going to play the best 11 guys at all times to win,” Phillips said. “I’m not afraid to compete, especially to go down there and compare myself physically and different things. I won’t shy away from it. I feel like I can be able to come and learn the system and earn my spot.”
Phillips will visit Texas A&M this weekend for the Aggies game against Tennessee, before announcing his decision at his high school on Oct. 12. He has previously officially visited Oregon, Oklahoma, Notre Dame as well as unofficially visiting Tennessee for the Vols game vs. Florida.