Ervin Philips burst off the line and went to block linebacker Shyheim Cullen. Eric Dungey took the snap and faked a pitch to running back Moe Neal who was split-out left.

Syracuse’s first-string offense was scrimmaging against the second-string defense at the start of a practice inside the Ensley Athletic Center. On the first drive, the offense went three-and-out, drawing roars from the rest of the defense standing on the far sideline. To start the second drive, Dungey looked only toward his toward his speedy slot receiver. As Cullen bit on the fake pitch, Philips planted his left foot and burst right past the now flat-footed line linebacker, catching the ball thrown to the open space down the middle.

It was a flashback to what happened frequently last year, and what will likely happen even more often when the season begins Sept. 1 against Central Connecticut State.

Philips wasn’t consistently in the slot his first two seasons. He was nearly everywhere else. He arrived as a running back, the position he started at when he was at West Haven (Connecticut) High School. He also contributed as a kick returner, and assumed the role of the primary “hybrid” under then-offensive coordinator Tim Lester in 2015.

In head coach Dino Babers’ up-tempo offense, he found a home at inside receiver, a place where he feels confident in his abilities as a playmaker. His 90 catches last season would have been the most ever for an SU receiver if not for the 94 grabbed by teammate Amba Etta-Tawo. With Etta-Tawo gone, Philips is poised to be one of Dungey’s top weapons.

“I want to be the best receiver in the ACC,” Philips said.

Even though he lined up primarily in the backfield at West Haven, the goal was to get him the ball in space. It’s why his high school coach Ed McCarthy ran jet sweeps with him and instructed his quarterbacks to throw him the ball in the flat. Philips set school records in touchdowns (88) and total offense (6,182 yards).

When Philips was in high school, McCarthy watched many Mid-American Conference games, because they were frequently broadcast during the week. Unintentionally, it familiarized him with the Bowling Green offense run by Babers.

“I almost knew that he would be the slot receiver (when Babers was hired at SU),” McCarthy said. “He’s made for that position really. I thought it was a perfect fit with him in the offense.”

Babers said that during his first practice at SU, he and his staff instructed players to line up at whatever spot on the field they wanted to play at. Philips stood with the wide receivers.

Wide receiver Steve Ishmael predicted Philips would excel if given the chance at receiver. They have been roommates for three years and now are the two senior wideouts who will be tasked with leading the offense. They spoke about this season as soon as they got back from winter break last year, Ishmael said.

Philips said that earlier in his career, when he was being moved around a lot, he did not mind it. But from the first game last season, in which he set a school record with 14 receptions against Colgate, he knew he had found his permanent spot. After the breakout season he had last year, he is left wondering what might have been.

“Now that I think about it,” Philips said, “I wish I had the time to really get used to one spot. When you’re at one position, you get to learn it more, you learn the ins and outs and you get to improve at that position. It’s (playing multiple roles early in his career) a blessing because it allowed me to show how versatile I can be, but at the same time I wish I could have stayed at one position.”

To reach his individual goal of being the best receiver in the conference, Philips started working out at BreakOut Athlete, a local training facility that works with Division I and professional athletes.

BOA has become known for its explosiveness training, director Frank Quido said, with the majority of its clients being football players who want to get faster off the line.

It was initially difficult to develop a training regimen for Philips, Quido said, because he was already such a gifted athlete. But what stood out to Quido was Philips’ willingness to buy-in wholeheartedly to the training program, regardless of some of the untraditional exercises and equipment.

“You know, most people when they come to my facility, this training is so much different than what they’re used to,” Quido said. “But he embraced everything I asked him to do. Never questioned why, never complained this was too hard.”

The two worked together for about a month. In one drill, Philips stood behind a tackling dummy and Quido, standing on the other side, threw tennis balls both to the right and the left of the dummy. Philips stood in place, seeing where the balls were coming from and catching them to improve his hand-eye coordination.

In another exercise focused on explosiveness, Philips ran on a treadmill while leaning forward until his chest touched a pole.

Courtesy of Frank Quido

Philips said he feels faster and stronger than he did a year ago. Junior Kielan Whitner has noticed it too. Whitner has played safety before for SU and is currently transitioning to linebacker. In both roles, he matches up with slot receivers in practice. This summer, in guarding Philips, Whitner said the hardest part is the bevy of moves that Philips can put on, forcing a defender to not key in on just one.

“He got faster and more explosive off the line.” Quido said. “… We’re going to see him getting much more separation from defenders than we’ve ever seen before.”

Philips is still learning on the job. He struggled in his shift trying to get off press coverage. He did not realize how important it was to use his hands before the throw is even made.

McCarthy said, in retrospect, it’s a shame that Philips could not have redshirted his freshman season. Philips said he wishes he could have played in the slot all four years.

With Etta-Tawo gone Philips recognizes that defenses might key in on him as the top target. His definition of being the best receiver in the ACC means being consistent every single game, not having a “rollercoaster” season. And even though he has been doing this for only one year, he is confident he can reach that status.

“He just adjusts to things quickly,” Ishmael said. “He’s an athlete, he’s a football player and he’s been big time for us.”

He proved Ishmael right a year ago. Now, to reach the postseason goals that he and Ishmael discussed, he needs to adjust to his new role. He needs to be big time.

Banner photo by Jessica Sheldon

Published on August 30, 2017 at 12:34 am

Contact Tomer: tdlanger@syr.edu | @tomer_langer