Phillips talks K-State offer, visit

Omaha (Neb.) Millard West's Harrison Phillips had several offers before he visited Kansas State on Saturday their junior day, but the 6-foot-4, 246-pound did not land his first BCS offer until he made his way down to Manhattan.

A scholarship offer did not look as likely as Phillips had hoped when he first arrived at Kansas State on Saturday and saw a large group of recruits in attendance for the event, but the day quickly turned positive in a meeting with head coach Bill Snyder.

"One of the recruiting coordinators said, 'Coach is going to want to talk to you,' but I didn't know which coach they were talking about. We ate real fast and [a coach] waved us over. He opened these huge French doors and we walked into Coach Snyder's office overlooking the field. I just thought, 'Oh my goodness.'

"He sat us down and asked me to tell him about myself. He went on to talk about what his program is about and what he believes in. He said, 'I want to let you know you have a scholarship offer with us,' and instantaneously the weight was lifted off my shoulders."

The initial contact between Phillips and Kansas State was initiated by the Omaha defensive end, and his interest in the Wildcats continues to grow after their scholarship offer.

"They are very high up there in my top schools now. They made it very, very competitive," Phillips said. "Their facilities are very nice and I know everything is improving. It's definitely a very high interest among my schools."

Besides Kansas State, Phillips has been offered by Ohio University, North Dakota, South Dakota State and South Dakota State. Adding the recent BCS offer to his list has only further fueled Phillips' fire.

"Now this is a real thing, and you are talking about one of the most competitive programs in the nation," Phillips said. "I need to start rolling as hard as ever. I'd say it has definitely made my motor turn on even more."

Phillips will have plenty of time to spend training this spring because he does not have any college visits planned at this point. If a big offer does come through he would consider visiting that program, and Phillips said Duke is one school that has picked up the interest lately. Kansas State certainly has his attention now, though a decision is not likely in the near term.

"I can tell that they wanted me to commit, and obviously every college that offers me will," Phillips said. "I still have to weigh a lot of options. I have to talk to my football coach and my family so nothing will [happen] too fast, but I'm also not going to be too slow to pull the trigger."

Phillips is coming off a wrestling season in which went 32-0 and took home the state heavyweight title. He will wrestle at nationals in Virginia Beach next month.