BLACKSBURG – Mose Phillips III quickly established himself as a key contributor in his second year as a Hokie, flashing his talents throughout the first six weeks of the season. The 6-foot-2, 193-pound sophomore safety’s ability to cover ground and disrupt plays has helped solidify Virginia Tech’s secondary. His versatility allows him to excel in coverage and get up to the line of scrimmage when needed, making him a key part of defensive coordinator Chris Marve’s scheme. Phillips will look to continue his strong play as the Hokies depart to take on Stanford this Saturday, October 14th at 3:30pm ET, which will be broadcast live on the ACC Network It’s planned.
The Nashville, Tenn. native flashed his potential as a freshman, appearing in all 13 games and starting two. He recorded 27 tackles and had a breakout performance in the Military Bowl against Tulane, recording a season-high seven tackles and forcing a fumble. Those signs of promise translated smoothly into consistent production in the second year.
Now a true sophomore, Phillips has taken his game to new heights. He currently leads the team with 34 tackles and added one sack, two passes defensed and one interception to his tally. His most recent standout moment was against Miami, where he made the decisive play by jumping Cam Ward’s pass over third base and returning it 33 yards to set the Hokies near midfield. did.
As Pro Football Focus reported, Phillips had five tackles and no missed tackles against the Hurricanes, but he was targeted on four catches by opposing receivers for 15 yards. This was limited to just one time. His ability to read plays and make impactful stops will be critical to the Hokies defense this season.