Utah's Clark Phillips picks up Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honor after three-INT performance
Your Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week is, of course, Utah corner Clark Phillips III. After three interceptions and a pick-six against Oregon State over the weekend, there was no other choice.
Phillips was selected as the league’s top defender on Monday for his role in Utah’s 42-16 win over Oregon State on Saturday. Phillips was also named the Walter Camp National FBS Defensive Player of the Week on Sunday
#Pac12FB Defensive Player of the Week, presented by @Nextiva: Clark Phillips III 🙌
Full release ➡️ https://t.co/x5HP4Z3Hzf#GoUtes | @Utah_Football pic.twitter.com/jw9YIQz42Y
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) October 3, 2022
The 12th-ranked Utes bullied Oregon State when the Beavers had the football, producing four turnovers — all of them interceptions. Phillips had three, including two in the first quarter.
The Lakewood, California native showed Saturday why he’s considered by many one of the very best corners in the country. Phillips had a pick-six for the Utes’ second score of the day.
His first interception of the game came on Oregon State’s first drive, picking off the Beavers’ quarterback on a first-and-10 from their own 44-yard line, wrestling the ball away from Oregon State’s Tre’Shaun Harrison, and returning it to the 19 to set Utah up for its first touchdown. With the game tied at 7-7 with 7:37 to go in the first quarter, Phillips would come up big once more, reading an out route perfectly on a second-and-10, undercutting the ball and returning it 38 yards to the endzone to give Utah the 14-7 lead. Phillips’ final interception of the game came in the fourth quarter on a second-and-5 at the Utah 5-yard line.
HIM @ClarkPhillips21 pic.twitter.com/IJChExRF1w
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) October 1, 2022
The three picks were the most in a game by a Ute since 2009 (Robert Johnson). He now has four on the year, which is tied for the most of any player in the country. Phillips now has seven career interceptions with three pick-sixes, the second-most by an active player in the FBS and the most of any Pac-12 player.
Utah faces No. 18 UCLA at the Rose Bowl this Saturday, with kickoff set for 12:30 p.m. PT on FOX.