Catching Up With… CORY PHILLIPS

I recently caught up with former quarterback, CORY PHILLIPS (1999-2002), who some may remember as primarily a backup signal caller for the Bulldogs during the Coach Donnan and Richt eras—which is true. However, from successfully walking on at Georgia—and essentially by chance, at that—to earning a scholarship, to throwing for a long touchdown on his first collegiate pass attempt, to passing for 400+ yards in two of his first four starts; yet, being demoted to a second-stringer as a junior and then third-string as a senior, Cory’s playing career for the Bulldogs was nothing short of a “miracle”—and, a valuable experience he cherishes today.

Our conversation from this past week:

PG: Cory, you obviously walked on at Georgia, having one of the greatest walk-on-turned-scholarship careers in school history, if I may add. Still, coming out of Hart County High School in 1998, did you have any scholarship offers, including from any small schools?

CP: No, I had no offers. I dislocated my knee my junior year in high school, and was still somewhat recovering during my senior year—not sure if that had anything to do with me not receiving any offers but, regardless, I received none. So, I initially thought I was going to attend West Georgia, and try to walk on and play football there.

PG: When did Georgia come into the picture?

CP: Honestly, it came when I got accepted to the University of Georgia—just to go to school. That got me thinking, if I was going to walk on, I might as well walk on at Georgia. I grew up a gigantic Georgia fan, and the idea of playing for the Bulldogs is a dream for most kids in this state—well, it certainly was my dream.

PG: What was the process to walk on to the UGA football team?

CP: There was definitely a process. Now, I’m not sure if everybody’s process was like mine back then (1998)—mine was truly like a “walk-up” situation. Not knowing anybody at UGA, my dad just called the athletic department, hoping someone would answer the phone. Somebody did, and eventually someone else agreed that some coaches would meet with my dad and me. My dad was told to bring some game film of mine, which we wound up just kind of throwing together. At Georgia, we watched the film with [assistant coaches] Coach “T” (Joe Tereshinski) and Pat Jones, and I guess they liked the way I threw the ball, although I didn’t think there was anything extraordinary about it. Then, that same day, we actually met with Coach Donnan, who told me that I could walk on once the season started.

PG: Wow! You and your dad accomplished a lot during a short and simple visit to the UGA athletic department…

CP: It was truly a miracle. Initially, the Georgia football program didn’t know me from any random student walking around on campus. They just happened to pick up the phone that day, eventually liked what they saw on film, and decided to give me a shot.

PG: So, you actually couldn’t walk on until the season started?

CP: Well, that’s how it was supposed to happen. But, aside from football, I had wanted to start school as soon as I could, so I just happened to be already going to summer school. Although I knew I couldn’t walk on until the season started, I asked if I could workout with the team that summer since I was going to be on campus anyway. And, here’s where another miracle occurred… I started to throw in voluntary workouts, and I guess Coach Donnan liked the way I threw. So, he invited me to come to an early fall camp before all the true freshmen arrived. I’m not exactly sure what Coach Donnan saw in me, and perhaps he just needed an extra arm for all the receivers at the early camp. But, I was given an opportunity to come in early and get in front of the coaches, and I think that really helped open the door for me going forward.

PG: You make the team in ’98, but you were one of at least seven quarterbacks, so you were redshirted. By the beginning of the next season, all but just two of those seven or so remained, including yourself (Quincy Carter the other) and, the week of the ’99 season opener, not only were you announced as the Bulldogs’ No. 3 quarterback (converted flanker Labrone Mitchell was No. 2), but you had been given a scholarship as well. What was it like to earn a scholarship?

CP: Coach Donnan pulled me aside during one practice and gave me the news—it was surreal. Growing up as a Georgia fan, to walking on, and then having your head coach say that I have a scholarship, it was truly an unbelievable moment.

PG: What can you say about your first collegiate pass—a 53-yard touchdown completion to Terrence Edwards with about nine minutes remaining in the 1999 season opener against Utah State? It wound up being the only pass you’d attempt your entire freshman season.

CP: Again, the progression is surreal in itself: from walking on, to earning a scholarship, to getting an opportunity to get into the game. And, a play is then called for me to throw the ball down the field to someone who would become one of the greatest wide receivers Georgia has ever had. And, of course, having Terrence to throw to was helpful (chuckling). Who knew if I would ever get on the field again? But, to throw a touchdown on my first pass, in my first game, I’ll never forget that.

PG: Through the first six games of the 2000 season, you had attempted just six career passes in a year and a half. But, starter Quincy Carter was injured and you (the No. 2 quarterback) get the call for at Kentucky. There, you remarkably pass for 400 yards and four touchdowns in a 34-30 win over the Wildcats. Did you have any idea you could accomplish as much in your first start?

CP: Honestly, no idea. In getting prepared during the week leading up to the Kentucky game, you appreciate the moment of making your first start on the road against an SEC team, but not focus on it. I focused on the game. And, I had such great players around me—a lot of talent. I just wanted to make sure I did my part to get through the game. To not only get through it, but to have a decent performance was the icing on the cake.

PG: So, just three games after Kentucky, you had another 400-yard passing game (413 yds and 2 TDs vs. Georgia Tech), and ended the 2000 season with a bowl win, and as the team’s starting quarterback. However, Mark Richt was named head coach and you lost a close quarterback battle entering 2001 with redshirt freshman David Greene, who would go onto have arguably the greatest career by any Bulldogs signal caller in history. By your senior year of 2002, you were the team’s No. 3 quarterback (behind Greene and D.J. Shockley). Surely, there had to be some disappointment in going from having two 400-yard performances in about a month’s time to being stuck behind David Greene, and Georgia’s third-string quarterback two seasons later.

CP: Obviously, Coach Richt made the right call in picking David (laughing). As a competitor, there’s going to be disappointment in being demoted. But, the camaraderie of the team—and, it may sound cheesy—but it’s real. You get into the moment of being part of a team, and doing what you can for it—playing your role whatever it may be. When things didn’t go my way, it was definitely disappointing. But, you still have the team element. It’s an amazing bond with those guys that’s real, and an amazing way to go through college—I’ll tell you that. David and I were close friends at the time, and still are.

PG: What really stood out—the main difference—going from Donnan to Richt as the team’s head coach?

CP: Well, I would imagine this would be the case with a lot of new head coaches, especially those who had never been a head coach before, but it was an exciting time. There was a new staff, new terminology, a new offensive system, and new energy. I’m not sure if the new energy was enhanced even more so because Coach Richt was a head coach for the first time but, still, he was “all in.”

PG: What was your greatest “team” moment during your career? What about as an individual?

CP: Winning an SEC championship [in 2002] was a pretty amazing experience. As a player—something I’ll never forget—was that first time running out of the tunnel at Sanford Stadium in front of tens of thousands of fans, but it felt more like a million people. That first time—for me, it was that Utah State game—I’m guessing every player gets a chill down their back. For some players, including me, you get that chill every time you run out.

PG: So, what’s been going on professionally with you since graduating?

CP: Man, time does go by, doesn’t it? Right out of school, with the thought that I might go into coaching, I stayed on with the staff under Coach Richt, serving as the team’s video coordinator. But, after about a year of that, I wound up joining up with my oldest brother, Spooner Phillips, along with a good friend of ours, Charly Schell, and we started a financial consulting trust company, Forge Consulting. In 2004, I opened our Atlanta office, and was living there for a while. And, just a few years ago, my family and I moved to Cartersville, Ga. (Cory was too modest to say, but Forge Consulting now has eight offices in six different states, including the District of Columbia.)

PG: Please tell me about your family.

CP: I married a Gym Dog, Courtney (the former Courtney Whittle was a member of Georgia’s 1998 national championship gymnastics team). And, we have three kids: one girl, Aiden (8), and two boys, Cannon (6) and Walker (4).

PG: Currently, what’s your association with the UGA football program?

CP: We have season tickets and my family loves going, so we try to get back to as many games as we can. I also do as many of the lettermen functions that I can. And, we usually go to the spring game, where I try to participate in the lettermen’s football game as long as I don’t pull a hamstring. I’ve also been involved with the Stinchcombs’ Countdown to Kickoff. It’s a great program, and I’m still really close with Matt and Jon. Also, the Paul Oliver Network that Coach Richt helped create, I went to a few of its programs.

PG: Cory, you have a great story. To go from a guy just hoping UGA would pick up the phone, to 400-yard passing games, to returning to a reserve role at quarterback to, now, running a successful company, which surely has benefitted—even the slightest—from you having played at Georgia.

CP: It’s been an unbelievable ride. For a former Georgia player, who can remain relatively close by, the network, community, and support you will receive, as long as you do the right things and work hard, is tremendous. It’s truly an unbelievable fan base we have.