Kenny Phillips is entering his first season with the Hampton University football program, where he will serve as defensive coordinator under first-year head coach Connell Maynor. He joins the Pirates with a wealth of coaching experience – including the past 13 seasons as a head coach.
On top of coordinating the Pirates’ defense, Phillips will coach the team’s linebackers.
Phillips comes to Hampton after serving as the head football coach at Fayetteville State for the past 13 seasons. During Phillips’ tenure, the Broncos captured three CIAA titles – 2002, 2003, and 2009 – and he was named the conference’s Coach of the Year twice.
Fayetteville State also played for the CIAA title in 2005 under Phillips.
The Broncos compiled a 16-6 record and a .727 winning percentage during 2008 and 2009. The only two-year winning percentage better is a .785 percentage (11-3-1) from 1975-76. Phillips has coached 57 players named to the ALL-CIAA team, three CIAA Rookies of the Year, two CIAA Defensive Players of the Year and two CIAA Special Teams Players of the Year during his 10 years at Fayetteville State.
Phillips is among the best defensive coaches in the country and has the numbers to prove it.
In 2009, his defense finished fourth in the NCAA's Division II in pass defense efficiency, 11th in pass defense efficiency, fourth in tackles for loss, 10th in total defense, and led the country in sacks per game.
In the 2008 season, saw Phillips' defense second in pass defense efficiency, seventh in tackles for loss and scoring defensive, and first in turnover margin.
Phillips’ coaching career began in 1985, when he was a graduate assistant at East Carolina. In 1987, he was named an assistant coach at Chowan College, and then he served as an assistant coach at North Carolina A&T from 1988-95.
His tenure as an assistant coach also included stops at Ohio University and N.C. State.
Phillips began his collegiate playing career at Chowan in 1979, where for two seasons he played strong safety and outside linebacker. In 1980, he was an All-Conference selection and defensive back, before transferring to East Carolina in 1981.
He was an outside linebacker and nickel back for the Pirates from 1981-83, and in 1982, he was named special teams captain. In 1983, Phillips was named the team’s Most Improved Defensive Player. He received his bachelor’s degree in physical education, before pursuing a Master’s in educational administration – which he earned in 1986 from East Carolina.
Phillips is a member of the American Football Coaches Association.
A native of Greenville, N.C., Phillips is married to Beverly Kay (Ellison) Phillips, and they have two children: Kathryn Kendra (22) and Kennedy Alexis (17). Phillips is also the proud grandfather of Brayden Jones (2).
In his spare time, Phillips enjoys fishing, videogames, and watching sci-fi movies.
