UTAH UTES
Clark Phillips III Gets AP Preseason All-America Nod
Aug 22, 2022, 11:42 AM | Updated: 11:44 am
Clark Phillips III #8 of the Utah Utes knocks the ball away from Troy Franklin #11 of the Oregon Ducks during the third quarter of the PAC-12 Football Championship football game at Allegiant Stadium on December 03, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Utah Utes won 38-10. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY- Clark Phillips III may have missed ESPN’s Top 100 Players last week, but the Associated Press made sure he was recognized in their Preseason All-America team. Phillips III was named to the AP’s second-team, the only local to make the cut that mostly highlighted players from Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State.
BREAKING: QB Bryce Young, LB Will Anderson Jr. among six players from No. 1 Alabama selected to preseason AP All-America teams.
Full team presented by @RegionsBank: https://t.co/4Kmy2LeCS1 pic.twitter.com/49zBoQ2kIJ
— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) August 22, 2022
Lots Of Preseason Recognition
The Utes have been receiving a lot of preseason recognition ahead of what many believe will be a big 2022 season. Phillips III has accounted for a large bulk of the early kudos along with Cam Rising, Brant Kuithe, Dalton Kincaid, and Tavion Thomas.
Phillips III has been solid for Utah since the day he stepped on campus, but really got the nation’s attention in the Utes’ first-ever Rose Bowl appearance against Ohio State. Against a very prolific offense Phillips III recorded five total tackles, four solo, one forced fumble and one interception that put the college football world on notice that he’s for real.
Since then the accolades have been pouring in for the junior cornerback with many believing he could be a top draft pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Utes as a whole unit have been receiving a lot of praise for the 2021 performance while battling through immense adversity losing running back Ty Jordan and defensive back Aaron Lowe within nine months of each other while still winning their first Pac-12 Championship. On a national level, between how battle-tested the team is plus the returning starters from the previous season’s squad have led many to pick the Utes as a potential College Football Playoff team in 2022.
Utah’s schedule sets up nicely to make a case for the Playoffs starting with an opening season trip to Gainesville to take on the Florida Gators. Starting the 2022 season in the heart of SEC country is exactly the kind of attention a team like Utah needs (provided they perform) to earn their way into the upper echelon of college football.
