Josh Phillips finally decided to chase his passion.
And now the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga outside linebacker is attempting to relearn a sport that was always his first love.
The 6-foot-8, 230-pound Phillips earned three letters in basketball at Middle Tennessee State University and was a member of the 2015-16 Blue Raiders, who upset second-seeded Michigan State in the first round of the NCAA tournament. But Phillips transferred to UTC last summer with hopes of returning to football, a sport he briefly played at Pope John Paul II High School in the Nashville area.
Interestingly enough, he said he physically feels a lot better now that he’s playing football after the wear and tear his body absorbed from all of the running, jumping and pounding associated with battling for rebounds. But that wasn’t the primary reason he chose to change sports.
“I always loved football,” Phillips said after UTC’s spring game Saturday at Finley Stadium. “I really just played basketball because I was tall and could jump, but the love of football was always in me. Playing at MT was great, but I had to chase what I really love, and that’s football.”