Coach Speak: Dwight Phillips, his 'different speed', and 'great spirit'
Since committing to Georgia in late January of 2023, things have largely been quiet around the recruitment of running back Dwight Phillips, Jr..
That comes as no surprise to his Pebblebrook head coach Mike Woolridge. In fact, that’s who the young star has been all along.
“Dwight has a great spirit. He’s humorous, but he knows when to take things seriously. He has a mild demeanor, and it’s hard to shake him up. That’s going to carry him well to the next level,” Woolridge said of Phillips. “He has an impression on people where he doesn’t have to be boisterous or talk loud. He’s aura and presence gets his teammates to respect him. He’s just one of the guys.”
That connection with his peers is something that Woolridge is part of what separates Phillips.
“Honestly, what stands out is that Dwight is one of the guys. Even with the rankings and accolades and scholarship offers and Georgia commitment, he’s still a commoner. He talks with the team,” Woolridge said. “I love his humble nature. He comes in every day and talks with his teammates. You wouldn’t know all the things he’s been blessed with. He just seems like a regular guy.”
But on the field, regular isn’t a word that comes to mind when Woodridge has watched the soon-to-be Georgia signee. That’s especially true in regards to the speed Phillips brings to the field.
“It’s different. Our last game against East Coweta, I felt like Dwight was around 90-percent with his ankle, and he broke two runs for over 60 yards. When he gets to that second level, you’re not going to catch him,” Woolridge said. “It’s the first time in my life, I’ve been coaching seventeen years, that I’ve had a guy that once he hit that second level, there’s just no catching him. He looks like he’s floating. It’s just such a stride, so it’s hard to measure, but no one can catch him. It’s elite speed.”
Woolridge has watched Phillips’ game progress substantially aside from his ability to burn defenders, particularly in this senior season.
“Dwight had a high ankle injury in one of the scrimmage games, so it limited him. He didn’t get to 70 or 80 percent until midseason. When he came back, he looked outstanding,” Woolridge said. “One thing he did well was learning to run between the tackles. He’s always been able to get the ball in space and make you miss, but I think he improved his game substantially by being able to run between the tackles. He can do the power plays and H-counter plays. That’s one area of his game where he really progressed.”
While Phillips will move to the next level come spring, it will be tough to replace him within the Pebblebrook program.
“I’ll miss the humor from him. Dwight has a crazy laugh. You hear him in the weight room, and it just stands out,” Woolridge said. “I’ll just miss him as a person. He’s done a lot of things that have brought a lot of notoriety to Pebblebrook.”
Dwight Phillips is the nation’s No. 149 overall prospect in the Class of 2024.
