Phillips has been a young standout among a group full of veterans.
When BYU redshirt freshman wide receiver Jojo Phillips committed to the Cougars in 2022, he had plenty of options. Phillips chose the Cougars over offers from Oregon, LSU, Michigan State, Cal, Pittsburgh, Oregon State, and Colorado, among others. While he had no clear affiliation to the BYU football team during his recruitment, he felt an instant connection to BYU once he arrived in Provo.
“Provo is really calm, and my demeanor is calm,” Phillips told BYU On SI. Phillips is the first to confess that he isn’t the loudest person in the room. “I don’t really do much, [or] say much,” he said with a chuckle. Phillips felt at ease in Provo because of the peaceful atmosphere and the culture at BYU.
“BYU was just different from a lot of places,” Philips remarked following the fifth session of the fall season. “I had some big-time schools come and recruit me, but it was quite different at BYU. From the moment I arrived and visited, it was all about family. They greeted me with wide arms here. The community and the school. It seems like everyone who worked here appreciated their jobs and being here. It was the perfect place for me.”
Jojo’s decision was solidified a few weeks later when he saw the gameday atmosphere at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Phillips attended the BYU-Baylor game in 2022, which ended in a double overtime victory. “It was just awesome,” Phillips remarked.
Fast forward to now, and Phillips is fitting comfortably at BYU after a whole year. He’s still not the most talkative player, but his performance has done the talking. His position coach, Fesi Sitake, stated as much in an interview with BYU Sports Nation. “Jojo doesn’t say a word, but he leads in the way he makes plays,” Sitake told me.
BYU QB Gerry Bohanon connects with WR Jojo Phillips for a long touchdown on the first day of Fall camp. pic.twitter.com/Sq0tg1Ngqr
— Casey Lundquist (@casey_lundquist) August 7, 2024
“He’ll be in the mix”
Phillips has been a young standout in a wide receiver room dominated by veterans. In 2023, the Cougars will return every wide receiver who has more than one reception. Even with his expertise at that position, Phillips is expected to play a larger part in the BYU attack in 2024.
“Jojo is going to be a good player – this year,” BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick told the reporters at spring training. “He will surely be in the mix. “He is a good player.”
Phillips is one of the most physically gifted guys on the roster. He is 6’5 and gained 15 pounds throughout the offseason. He moves differently than most 6’5 receivers. He is a smoother operator with softer hands. He can outpace defensive backs with his speed or use his length to make difficult catches.
too smooth @josiahphillip20 pic.twitter.com/tcHrOVHG7k
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) April 17, 2024
Phillips is more confident heading into his second season at BYU, from life in the locker room to knowledge with the playbook. “I’m way more comfortable with the offense,” Phillips said, referring to the most significant difference between years one and two. “I’m much more comfortable with my teammates now than I was last year. Being comfortable with the program, my teammates, and my coaches allowed me to be more comfortable with the offense, the playbook, and simply being myself. It’s simple to play freely when you’re at ease; just play your game.”
As a true freshman in 2023, Phillips played in three games, allowing him to keep his redshirt. He made one reception for a touchdown against Iowa State in the first quarter. Phillips beat his guy to the inside with a quick slant, and Jake Retzlaff found him for the touchdown.
“It was crazy,” Phillips explained. “I had a dance and everything prepared, but I sort of projected the touchdown. All day, I kept telling my teammates, ‘This is the dance I’m going to do.’ When I scored, I had no idea what to do. I simply stood there yelling at the audience in front of the ROC, and I kind of froze.”
that was real nice. @jretz11 đ€ @josiahphillip20
đș: https://t.co/8BZPKRgnk1 pic.twitter.com/hX2KVSCCof
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) November 12, 2023
The next time he scores a touchdown for BYU, he will make it count. “This year when I score, I’ll for sure pull out some dances.”
Phillips has the ability to not only take the next step and contribute consistently for BYU in 2024, but also to establish himself as a future playmaker in the BYU attack. Jojo Phillips is a name that BYU fans should remember.
