in 1950, a pool of sportswriters named him the best athlete of the first half of the 20th century in south carolina. phillips played for the erskine flying fleet of erskine college. he was inducted to the school's sports hall of fame. some writers picked him all-southern in 1921. walter camp included him as an honorable mention all-american halfback in 1921. in 1965, just before his death, phillips was selected to be admitted to the national association of intercollegiate athletics (naia) hall of fame.