Erich Schlegel - Getty Images
Texas head coach Mack Brown didn't reveal which players would miss the spring due to surgeries during his post-season press conference, but sophomore defensive back Adrian Phillips let it slip on Twitter in a conversation with fellow defensive back Mykkele Thompson that he will undergo shoulder surgery on January 11th and miss 4-6 months.
Phlilips was a valuable part of the Longhorn secondary during his second season on the 40 Acres because of versatility -- he has the physicality to support the run from the safety position, but also has the speed and fluidity to cover receivers. During the 2011 season, Phillips recorded 39 tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack, two interceptions, and three forced fumbles.
And while it's never good for any players to miss valuable practice time, Phillips seems like a heady player even though he's still relatively young. In other words, he would be pretty low on a list of young players who could least afford to miss time.
Since Phillips will miss the spring, other young safeties like Thompson and Sheroid Evans will benefit from the increased reps and attention as they seek to break into the rotation with the departure of Blake Gideon, assuming that the ankle injury Thompson sustained in the Holiday Bowl is not so serious that he will miss time as well.
0 recs | 10 comments
Horns up for AP
Here’s to a speedy Recovery!
mccoy12 - January 4, 2012
+1
The ONLY bright spots here are that he should be back by early summer and that his absence will allow more teaching time for the other young DB’s.
Heel up, AP. Hook ’Em!
KevinJ - January 4, 2012
+1
VegasLonghorn - January 4, 2012
Wonder when it happened
I recall Phillips missing some time this season, maybe in November. Anyway, better now than in August.
edsp - January 4, 2012
Sure Played Great in the Bowl Game
realmccoy - January 4, 2012
He hurt it against Oklahoma State
and missed the Kansas game, then played through it for the rest of the year. Tough kid.
Wescott Eberts (GoBR) - January 4, 2012
Wow!
Horncasting - January 4, 2012
great guy
Sucks for AP, but I teach at Garland, and we have a lot of guys go play at college. While most of the guys were strutting around and acting like they made it, he was lifting or runnin and even racing me and wearing a parachute(nice of him to humor me). Sadly it was really close in the 40 with him dragging 40lbs of wind resistance.
I trust him to work it out and be back soon.
Horns up AP.
uttuck - January 4, 2012 via iPhone app
Evans and track
How much of spring football do the track guys miss? You know Evans is running track. No one on the 40 Acres was more excited by Evans’ signing than Bubba Thornton.
luvcollegefootball - January 4, 2012
AP will be fine
He has developed fairly well and shouldn’t have any problems by missing the spring. I’m just glad he is getting it fixed so it won’t bother him anymore…he really showed his ability and versatility in the Holiday Bowl.
Love the mental and physical toughness of this guy!
STLaw - January 4, 2012
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