Texas DB Adrian Phillips to Undergo Shoulder Surgery

by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Jan 4, 2012 1:44 PM CST in Texas Longhorns Football

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.

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Horns up for AP

Here’s to a speedy Recovery!

Me: "Hunny, how much is our Wedding budget?"
Fiance`"No, You can't have Craig Way call our wedding.."
Me: "Damnit.."

by mccoy12 on Jan 4, 2012 1:47 PM CST reply actions

+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!

by KevinJ on Jan 4, 2012 4:07 PM CST up reply actions

+1

by VegasLonghorn on Jan 4, 2012 2:30 PM CST reply actions

Wonder when it happened

I recall Phillips missing some time this season, maybe in November. Anyway, better now than in August.

by edsp on Jan 4, 2012 3:59 PM CST reply actions

Sure Played Great in the Bowl Game

Change isn't good or bad it just "is". Don Draper of Madmen

by realmccoy on Jan 4, 2012 4:04 PM CST up reply actions

He hurt it against Oklahoma State

and missed the Kansas game, then played through it for the rest of the year. Tough kid.

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Burnt Orange Nation

by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Jan 4, 2012 4:09 PM CST up reply actions

Wow!

by Horncasting on Jan 4, 2012 8:09 PM CST up reply actions

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.

by uttuck on Jan 4, 2012 4:59 PM CST via iPhone app reply actions

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.

It's not that we think we're better than everyone else. It's that we know we are.

by luvcollegefootball on Jan 4, 2012 6:35 PM CST reply actions

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!

by STLaw on Jan 4, 2012 8:23 PM CST reply actions