SALT LAKE CITY — When Andy Phillips was preparing to speak at his LDS mission farewell, he was so nervous, he asked the woman who would become his wife to sit in an empty church and listen to what he’d prepared.
“I just laugh at it now because he speaks at all these firesides and events,” Megan Phillips said. “It’s been amazing. I’ve seen a ton of growth in him.”
Utah’s senior kicker isn’t new to leadership, and in fact, may be in the unique position of being a three-year captain for the Utes.
But it may never be more important for him to embrace that role, as the former ski racer turned All-Pac-12 place-kicker looks to fill the void left by the exit of last year’s seniors, including the man with whom he learned the sport — punter Tom Hackett.
“I wouldn’t say I feel added pressure,” he said of what it’s like to start a season without Hackett and the four men with whom he captained the team — Devontae Booker, Kenneth Scott, Jared Norris and Gionni Paul. “If anybody adds pressure, it’s me on my own shoulders.”
Once a walk-on who’d never played football, Phillips is now a father figure on a young, talented team. He said his age (27) and experience give him a unique and valuable perspective in college sports.
“This is my fifth year playing football,” he said. “I think I bring a lot to the table. …I’m old. I’ve been through it. I think I can bring a lot this year to just being that consistent rock of the special teams that we’ve had the past couple of years.” A smile spreads across the face of his position coach at the chance to discuss Phillips' role on the team.
“Andy is such a solid dude, such a good ballplayer,” said special teams and cornerbacks coach Sharrieff Shah. “His voice is one that people listen to. There were times in the season when we hit a rough patch, and he stood up. People were quiet when he spoke, and you need that. It will be nice to have him back.”
His comfort, according to Phillips and his wife, comes from a few things. First, Phillips believes the Utes have no shortage of solid leadership on this year’s team. Second, he’s gained maturity and confidence from ski racing, his LDS mission and fatherhood. Third, learning to play the game with Hackett, a native of Australia who found his way to Utah through a program called Prokick Australia, changed him in some very important ways.
“Tom and I learned the sport together,” Phillips said. “We grew together, and we helped each other out.”
He said that while Hackett helped him relax and not let mistakes nag him (a critical trait for success as a kicker), Phillips “brought him back on track if, for some reason, he was a little too loose or lax.”
“We were a good balance for each other,” he said, adding that long snapper Chase Dominguez was also part of the chemistry that made Utah’s special teams unit one of the most respected in the Pac-12.
Phillips was the foundation of that success because of his consistency. Dubbed "Automatic Andy" by fans, he's made 84 percent of his career field goal attempts and is Utah's career record holder for field goals made (63), attempts (75) and points scored (321). Among college kickers' top 10 (he was ranked No. 7), he was the only one who was perfect inside the 40-yard-line (15-of-15).
Their friendship helped Phillips tame his desire to over-analyze a job that’s best done “when we’re not thinking about anything.” Their friendship shaped the development of both players. “I still talk to Tom every day,” Phillips said of Hackett, who signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent after being crowned the best college punter in the country two years in a row. “I don’t think I’d have any of the success I’ve had in the past three years if it weren’t for Tom and his ability, his balance. We were a great duo.”
Where Hackett’s strength was his unflappable nature, Phillips' strength is his earnestness. Hard working, responsible and naturally caring, his wife said that while he hasn’t always been comfortable with the weight of leadership, he has always been nurturing.
“He’s really natural at just taking care of people,” said Megan Phillips. “People just follow him, they naturally look to him. As a teen, I don’t think he was super self-confident, but I think he’s kind of grown into it.”
She’s not surprised at his leadership ability, but she is, at times, awed by the breadth and depth of his commitment.
“It impresses me how he is a leader with his teammates, but not just in football,” she said. “In every, single aspect of life. They call him for advice about everything, like which car seat to buy. … It makes me proud.”
She said that when the team’s new punter Mitch Wishnowsky, who hails from the same Australian club where Hackett trained, came to Utah, it was Phillips who picked him up at the airport and then spent the day helping him get settled.
“He just naturally stepped into that role,” she said. “He’s ready for the challenge, and I think he’ll do a great job.”
Part of her confidence in her husband comes from the way he’s embraced fatherhood.
“He’s such a good dad,” Megan said. “He’s super involved. … I always knew he loved kids before we got married, but he (has shown) a whole different level of commitment, of intensity.”
Phillips’ commitments drive him — emotionally and practically. The marketing and information systems major arranges his life so he can better take care of those he loves and his responsibilities. For example, he takes more classes in the spring and summer so he can dedicate more time to the team in the fall.
She said fatherhood hasn’t distracted him, it’s focused him in a way she didn’t expect.
“I think Max gives him that extra motivation,” she said of their 2-year-old son.
Phillips said juggling fatherhood with football and school can be challenging.
“It’s hard,” he said. “It can be frustrating sometimes. The hardest part for me is that you want to do so well in school so you can set yourself up for success in life … but there is so much pressure in football to be successful, and a lot of people are relying on me.”
And there is nobody he’d rather spend time with than Megan and Max.
“The balance is hard,” Phillips said as he liberates his wife from their squirming toddler by putting him on his shoulders. “But we’ve been at it four or five years now, so we’re pretty used to it.”
And Megan said both Utah’s football family and their own families provide a network of support that allows them to pursue their dreams.
“I never worry that I’m alone in this,” said Megan, who is expecting the couple’s second son in September. They laugh at the fact that both of their children will be born during football season.
Phillips said he isn’t worried about whether this year’s team will have adequate leadership or if he’s up to the task.
“I think a bunch of guys will be able to fill those shoes,” he said. “To be honest with you, I think the talent level and I think the focus of this spring ball is the highest since I’ve been here. So I think it directly correlates with what we want to do this year.”
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