STANFORD, Calif. – Senior defensive tackle Harrison Phillips was one of 11 FBS players named to the 2017 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, as announced Thursday.
The Good Works Team, one of the most coveted off-the-field honors in college football, shines a spotlight on the incredible stories of selflessness and community service displayed by the student-athletes and the honorary head coach, and honors their dedication to volunteerism and enriching the lives of others.
The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team will be invited to New Orleans to participate in a special community service project ahead of the 2018 Allstate Sugar Bowl, where the entire team will also be recognized on the field at halftime. In addition, Allstate will honor Good Works Team players by creating special volunteer events in select markets throughout the season in conjunction with its All Hands In program, which encourages the college football community to come together and do good.
Phillips is a board member of The Playmakers Organization, which is dedicated to mentoring at-risk minority youth. The Omaha, Nebraska, native volunteers at the non-profit organization in Sacramento, and created a Playmakers Hub at Belvedere Elementary School in Omaha, called Harrison's Playmakers. His duties include marketing, planning, fundraising, and hands-on work with students.
Phillips has inspired fellow classmates and teammates to join him in off the field community service. That includes his visits to Stanford University Children's Hospital to volunteer time visiting ill children, reading to children in East Palo Alto, Habitat for Humanity projects and founding the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Stanford.
Phillips, who leads the Cardinal with 27 tackles this season, is on pace to graduate early as a double major in sociology and society, technology and society. He was a CoSIDA Academic All-District and Pac-12 Academic first team selection in 2016.
An esteemed voting panel consisting of former Good Works Team members -- including two-time national champion, Heisman Trophy winner and 2009 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team member Tim Tebow -- and prominent college football media members narrowed down the nominees to the final roster.
"For me, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team tells the full story of what it can mean to be successful as a student-athlete," said Tebow. "I know it's important to develop the skills of these young players on the field, but it's even more important to encourage these players of all the good they can do off the field and help them understand the impact they can make with the platform they have."