PROVO, Utah – When BYU redshirt freshman wide receiver Jojo Phillips committed to the Cougars back in 2022, he had no shortage of options. Phillips picked the Cougars over competing offers from programs like Oregon, LSU, Michigan State, Cal, Pitt, Oregon State, and Colorado among others. While he didn’t have any obvious attachment to the BYU football program during his recruitment, he did feel an immediate connection to BYU once he got in Provo.
“Provo is really calm, and my demeanor is calm,” Phillips told BYU On SI. Phillips is the first to admit that he’s not the loudest guy in the room. “I don’t really do much, [or] say much,” he joked. The calm nature of Provo combined with the culture at BYU made Phillips feel comfortable.
“BYU was just different from a lot of places,” Philips said after the fifth practice of Fall camp. “I had some big-time schools come and recruit me and everything, but it was just way different at BYU. From the first time I came and visited, it was just family oriented. They welcomed me with open arms here. The community, the school. It was just like everyone who worked here enjoyed doing their job and enjoyed being here. It was just the place that fits me.”
A few weeks after his commitment, Jojo experienced the gameday atmosphere at Lavell Edwards Stadium and it cemented his decision. Phillips attended the BYU-Baylor game in 2022 – a game that ended in a double overtime win. “It was just awesome,” Phillips said.
Phillips has been a young standout in a wide receiver room that is crowded with veterans. The Cougars return every wide receiver that had more than one reception in 2023. Even with the experience at that position, Phillips is poised to take on a bigger role in the BYU offense in 2024.
“Jojo is going to be a good player – this year,” BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick told the media during Spring camp. “He’ll be in mix, definitely. He’s a good player.”
In terms of physical attributes, Phillips is one of the most gifted players on the roster. He is all of 6’5 and he has added 15 pounds to his frame during the offseason. He doesn’t move like most 6’5 receivers, either. He is a smoother operator with soft hands. He can beat defensive backs with his speed or he can use his length to make contested catches.
Phillips feels more confident with everything going into his second season at BYU, including life in the locker room to familiarity with the playbook. “I’m way more comfortable with the offense,” Phillips said on the biggest difference between year one and year two. “I’m way more comfortable with my teammates…last year I kind of came in timid. Being comfortable with the program, with my teammates, and with my coaches, helped me be more comfortable with the offense, the playbook and just being me. It’s easy to play freely when you’re comfortable, you can just play your game.”
As a true freshman in 2023, Phillips appeared in three games which allowed him to preserve his redshirt. He had one catch – a touchdown against Iowa State in the first quarter. Phillips beat his man to the inside with a quick slant and Jake Retzlaff found him for the score.
“It was crazy,” Phillips said. “I had a dance and everything planned out, but I kind of manifested the touchdown. All day I was just telling my teammates, I was like, ‘This is the dance I’m going to do.’ When I scored, I didn’t know what to do. I just stood there and yelled at the crowd…it was in front of the ROC and I kind of froze.”The next time he scores a touchdown for BYU, he’s going to make it count. “This year when I score, I’ll for sure pull out some dances.”
Phillips has the potential to not only take the next step and become a consistent contributor for BYU in 2024, he also has the opportunity to cement himself as a future playmaker in the BYU offense. Jojo Phillips is a name that BYU fans should commit to memory.
