Eddie Phillips is a former American football player who started as quarterback for the TexasLonghorns in the early 1970s. In 1970, he led the Longhorns to a share of the National Championship while leading the Southwest Conference in total touchdowns. Despite an award-winning, record-breaking performance in the 1971 Cotton Bowl, Texas lost, breaking its 30-game winning streak and handing the AP crown to Nebraska.
Eddie Phillips played defensive back and quarterback for Mesquite High School. He was recruited by both Arkansas and Texas to play football and chose Texas
College careerEdit
Eddie Phillips started his career sharing quarterback duties on the freshman team, nicknamed the Yearlings, with Monty Johnson. He helped lead them to a perfect 5-0 record and the unofficial freshman team Southwest Conference Championship.[1]
Phillips developed into a classic option quarterback, and during his sophomore year he backed up James Street in Texas' National Championship season of 1969. He appeared in 8 games, but only in mop-up duty.
In 1970, he became the starting quarterback and led Texas to a share of the National Championship, winning the UPI (Coaches) Championship and sharing the NFF Championship with Ohio State. He led Texas to 10 straight wins and helped set the Southwest Conference and school record for most consecutive wins at 30.[2] The Longhorns, still relying on the wishbone, were an almost unstoppable force. In the only regular season game in which they were challenged, Phillips hit Cotton Speyrer on a 3rd and 9, 45 yard touchdown pass with 12 seconds left to win the game, preserve the winning streak and keep Texas' Championship season on track.[2]
In the 1971 Cotton Bowl, Texas faced #5 Notre Dame with the AP National Championship on the line. Phillips played the best game of his career and was named the offensive Outstanding Player. He became the first Longhorn quarterback to throw and run for over 100 yards in a bowl game; set the Cotton Bowl records for total offense and most rushing yards by a quarterback (which as of 2014 he still held); and rushed for more yards than any quarterback ever had in any prior bowl game, but it was not enough for the Longhorns to win. Texas fumbled the ball 9 times, with 5 of those being turnovers, and the Joe Theisman-led Fighting Irish beat Texas 24-11, giving a share of the national title to the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
In 1971, Phillips was again the starter for Texas, but he had an injury plagued season and was replaced several times by back-up Donnie Wigginton. Phillips missed six games with injuries to his hamstring, ribs and shoulder. He was replaced by Wigginton in the first game of the season against UCLA after re-injuring his hamstring which he originally injured in August, and again with the same injury during his return against Oregon.[3][4] He didn't play his first complete game of the season until facing Baylor in early November. But the next week he left the TCU game in the 3rd quarter with an injured shoulder.[5] Despite his many injuries he was the starter in the 1972 Cotton Bowl classic against Penn State, in which he shared quarterback duties with backup Wigginton.[6] Many saw the game as a grudge match between the two teams who went undefeated in 1969, and Penn State dominated in a 30-6 win to avenge their denial of the 1969 National Championship.
Phillips played in the 1972 Hula Bowl.
Phillips finished with a 14-2 record as a starter and, at the time he graduated, he'd had the four top rushing games by a quarterback in Texas history. He was inducted into the Longhorn Hall of Honor in 2005.[7]
RecordsEdit
UT - Highest Average Gain Per Pass Completion (min. 30 completions), season (17.8), surpassed by Randy McEachern in 1977
UT - Longest run by a quarterback (63 yards), surpassed by Bret Stafford in 1985
UT - Most rushing yards in a bowl game (164), surpassed by Ricky Williams in 1999
UT - Most rushing yards by a Quarterback, game (164), broke his own record twice, surpassed by Marty Akins in 1974
UT - Most rushing yards by a Quarterback, career (1,211), surpassed by Akins in 1974
UT - Lowest Percentage of Passes Had Intercepted, season (3.1%), surpassed by Donnie Wigginton in 1971
UT - Fewest passes had intercepted, career - min 150 attempts (8)
UT - Total Offense, game (363), surpassed by Donnie Little in 1980
UT - Longest run by a quarterback in a bowl game (63 yards)
Cotton Bowl - Total Offense, game (363), surpassed by Graham Harrell in 2009
Cotton Bowl - Net rushing yards by a quarterback (164)
Bowl - Net rushing yards by a quarterback (164), surpassed by Mike Mosley of Texas A&M in the 1977 Bluebonnet Bowl
Bowl means active
Later lifeEdit
Phillips was drafted in the 5th Round of the 1972 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Rams, but with the intention of turning him into a safety.[8] During the pre-season he played in several games and during one, he collided with rookie running back Ray Jamieson of the Oakland Raiders. The collision broke Jamison's neck and ended his career.[9] Phillips was waived just before the start of the season, one of the last players cut to make room on the roster for the start of the season.[10]
After his career was over, Phillips married Tom Landry's daughter Kitty and became a banker in Austin.[11]
In the 2014 movie My All American, Phillips is portrayed by actor Mike Seitz.
ReferencesEdit
^University of Texas Cactus Yearbook - Class of 1968. Austin, TX. 1968. p. 85. Retrieved 2014-07-24.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ abssr50 (2010-09-22). "Memories of The Catch: Texas vs UCLA 1970". Barking Carnival. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
^Peterson, Harold (11 November 1971). "The Week". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
^Jenkins, Dan (18 November 1971). "Oklahoma Wins the Wishbone War". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
^"Texas Keeps Cotton Bowl Hopes Alive". Gadsden Times. 14 November 1971. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
^"Eddie Phillips will Pilot Texas in Bowl". The Morning Record. Meridan, CT. 1971-12-30. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
^"Honorees humbled, pleased by induction into select group".
^Macomber, Frank (1972-07-09). "'Wishbone-T' enlivens outlook for pro football in '72". Rome-News Tribune. Rome, GA. Retrieved 2014-07-21.
^"Phillips Waived". The Victoria Advocate. Victoria, TX. 1972-09-12. Retrieved 2014-07-21.
^Demaret, Kent (1977-12-19). "Tom Landry Is a Believer: in Himself, His Printouts, His Cowboys and His Lord". People. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
External linksEdit
Texas stats
October 18, 2023
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Eddie Phillips is a former American football player who started as quarterback for the Texas Longhorns in the early 1970s In 1970 he led the Longhorns to a share of the National Championship while leading the Southwest Conference in total touchdowns Despite an award winning record breaking performance in the 1971 Cotton Bowl Texas lost breaking its 30 game winning streak and handing the AP crown to Nebraska Eddie PhillipsTexas Longhorns No 14PositionQBClass1972Personal informationHeight6 ft 0 in 1 83 m Weight187 lb 85 kg Career historyCollegeTexas 1969 1971 Bowl gamesCotton Bowl 1971 1972 High schoolMesquite Mesquite Texas Career highlights and awards1971 Cotton Bowl Offensive Outstanding Player Cotton Bowl All Decade Team Quarterback 1970 s Fewest passes had intercepted by a Longhorn in a career Longest run by a Longhorn quarterback in a bowl game Most rushing yards by a quarterback in a Cotton Bowl game 1969 Southwest Conference Champions 1969 National Champions 1970 Southwest Conference Champions 1970 National Champions 1971 Southwest Conference Champions Contents 1 Early life 2 College career 2 1 Records 3 Later life 4 References 5 External linksEarly life EditEddie Phillips played defensive back and quarterback for Mesquite High School He was recruited by both Arkansas and Texas to play football and chose TexasCollege career EditEddie Phillips started his career sharing quarterback duties on the freshman team nicknamed the Yearlings with Monty Johnson He helped lead them to a perfect 5 0 record and the unofficial freshman team Southwest Conference Championship 1 Phillips developed into a classic option quarterback and during his sophomore year he backed up James Street in Texas National Championship season of 1969 He appeared in 8 games but only in mop up duty In 1970 he became the starting quarterback and led Texas to a share of the National Championship winning the UPI Coaches Championship and sharing the NFF Championship with Ohio State He led Texas to 10 straight wins and helped set the Southwest Conference and school record for most consecutive wins at 30 2 The Longhorns still relying on the wishbone were an almost unstoppable force In the only regular season game in which they were challenged Phillips hit Cotton Speyrer on a 3rd and 9 45 yard touchdown pass with 12 seconds left to win the game preserve the winning streak and keep Texas Championship season on track 2 In the 1971 Cotton Bowl Texas faced 5 Notre Dame with the AP National Championship on the line Phillips played the best game of his career and was named the offensive Outstanding Player He became the first Longhorn quarterback to throw and run for over 100 yards in a bowl game set the Cotton Bowl records for total offense and most rushing yards by a quarterback which as of 2014 he still held and rushed for more yards than any quarterback ever had in any prior bowl game but it was not enough for the Longhorns to win Texas fumbled the ball 9 times with 5 of those being turnovers and the Joe Theisman led Fighting Irish beat Texas 24 11 giving a share of the national title to the Nebraska Cornhuskers In 1971 Phillips was again the starter for Texas but he had an injury plagued season and was replaced several times by back up Donnie Wigginton Phillips missed six games with injuries to his hamstring ribs and shoulder He was replaced by Wigginton in the first game of the season against UCLA after re injuring his hamstring which he originally injured in August and again with the same injury during his return against Oregon 3 4 He didn t play his first complete game of the season until facing Baylor in early November But the next week he left the TCU game in the 3rd quarter with an injured shoulder 5 Despite his many injuries he was the starter in the 1972 Cotton Bowl classic against Penn State in which he shared quarterback duties with backup Wigginton 6 Many saw the game as a grudge match between the two teams who went undefeated in 1969 and Penn State dominated in a 30 6 win to avenge their denial of the 1969 National Championship Phillips played in the 1972 Hula Bowl Phillips finished with a 14 2 record as a starter and at the time he graduated he d had the four top rushing games by a quarterback in Texas history He was inducted into the Longhorn Hall of Honor in 2005 7 Records Edit UT Highest Average Gain Per Pass Completion min 30 completions season 17 8 surpassed by Randy McEachern in 1977 UT Longest run by a quarterback 63 yards surpassed by Bret Stafford in 1985 UT Most rushing yards in a bowl game 164 surpassed by Ricky Williams in 1999 UT Most rushing yards by a Quarterback game 164 broke his own record twice surpassed by Marty Akins in 1974 UT Most rushing yards by a Quarterback career 1 211 surpassed by Akins in 1974 UT Lowest Percentage of Passes Had Intercepted season 3 1 surpassed by Donnie Wigginton in 1971 UT Fewest passes had intercepted career min 150 attempts 8 UT Total Offense game 363 surpassed by Donnie Little in 1980 UT Longest run by a quarterback in a bowl game 63 yards Cotton Bowl Total Offense game 363 surpassed by Graham Harrell in 2009 Cotton Bowl Net rushing yards by a quarterback 164 Bowl Net rushing yards by a quarterback 164 surpassed by Mike Mosley of Texas A amp M in the 1977 Bluebonnet BowlBowl means activeLater life EditPhillips was drafted in the 5th Round of the 1972 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Rams but with the intention of turning him into a safety 8 During the pre season he played in several games and during one he collided with rookie running back Ray Jamieson of the Oakland Raiders The collision broke Jamison s neck and ended his career 9 Phillips was waived just before the start of the season one of the last players cut to make room on the roster for the start of the season 10 After his career was over Phillips married Tom Landry s daughter Kitty and became a banker in Austin 11 In the 2014 movie My All American Phillips is portrayed by actor Mike Seitz References Edit University of Texas Cactus Yearbook Class of 1968 Austin TX 1968 p 85 Retrieved 2014 07 24 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link a b ssr50 2010 09 22 Memories of The Catch Texas vs UCLA 1970 Barking Carnival Retrieved 2014 07 18 Peterson Harold 11 November 1971 The Week Sports Illustrated Retrieved 6 July 2014 Jenkins Dan 18 November 1971 Oklahoma Wins the Wishbone War Sports Illustrated Retrieved 6 July 2014 Texas Keeps Cotton Bowl Hopes Alive Gadsden Times 14 November 1971 Retrieved 8 July 2014 Eddie Phillips will Pilot Texas in Bowl The Morning Record Meridan CT 1971 12 30 Retrieved 2014 07 18 Honorees humbled pleased by induction into select group Macomber Frank 1972 07 09 Wishbone T enlivens outlook for pro football in 72 Rome News Tribune Rome GA Retrieved 2014 07 21 Elizabeth Merrill 2012 04 17 NFL retirees Saints crossed the line ESPN Retrieved 2014 07 21 Phillips Waived The Victoria Advocate Victoria TX 1972 09 12 Retrieved 2014 07 21 Demaret Kent 1977 12 19 Tom Landry Is a Believer in Himself His Printouts His Cowboys and His Lord People Retrieved 2014 07 18 External links EditTexas stats Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Eddie Phillips quarterback amp oldid 1176416836, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
