Just three weeks ago, Utah kicker Andy Phillips had never played in a football game in his life. That fact has made his perfect season so far all the more impressive, but it’s also led some to believe that the longtime soccer player and former U.S. Ski Team member just wasn’t a football guy until now.
That is far from true. Actually, Phillips grew up going to college football games because his grandparents always had season tickets. BYU season tickets.
That’s right. One of the Utes’ emerging heroes this year was raised in a family of Cougar fans. And it wasn’t just his grandparents.
“My dad played soccer at BYU, my mom and dad both got their degrees from there, my dad and grandpa both teach law down there,” Phillips said. “And I have a little sister who’s committed to play soccer there. I have so many connections to BYU.”
Oh, and his wife Megan is a former president of the Cougarettes, BYU’s dance team. So yeah, it’s fair to say there are a few connections to Utah’s rival school down south for the walk-on kicker.
All of that considered, Phillips said his family members have a lot of love for both institutions, as his mother and grandfather both received advanced degrees from the U.
“There’s definitely mutual respect for both the schools in my family,” Phillips said. “But when the football game comes around, it’s open game and you can talk as much trash as you want.”
Yes, football has been somewhat of a dividing factor in the Phillips family as of late, with some of his family members completely converting from blue to red, while others are definite “Team Andy” fans but refuse to cheer for the Utah football team as a whole.
Phillips said that for the most part, his family has been extremely supportive and many of his close family members have slowly but surely become Ute fans, including his wife.
“They know my teammates are my brothers. I spend every day with these guys,” Phillips said. “It’s taken a while. It’s taken three games and some good performances, but they’ve finally converted.”
Growing up attending BYU soccer camps, Phillips never imagined that he would one day enter LaVell Edwards Stadium as a Ute. He actually never imagined playing college football at all, which is part of what makes his performance so far that much more impressive.
Three games into the season, Phillips is 5-for-5 on field goal attempts with a long of 45 yards and 19-for-19 on PATs. He has also operated well under pressure, executing a near-perfect onside kick in the Week 1 victory against Utah State and making a tough field goal in overtime against Oregon State.
Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham knows how important kicking has been in games against the Cougars recently and has confidence in Phillips’ ability to perform in clutch situations.
“The kicking game has been a big factor in determining the outcome of this rivalry and it could be the same this year,” Whittingham said. “We have a lot of confidence in [Andy] and that does change your mindset as you start approaching the opponent’s territory. It changes your play calling a little bit knowing that if you get inside that 35 (yard line), you got a great shot at making a field goal.”
Phillips is preparing mentally for the rivalry by trying to think of this Saturday’s showdown in Provo as just one more game, and each attempt as just one more kick, separate from any other circumstances.
As for whether blocking out the hype and pressure is easier said than done, Phillips is honest.
“We’ll see,” he said. “I’ve still never been to an away game, so I’ll let you know.”