Former Clemson Standout Lands Coaching Gig
By: Gavin Oliver February 22, 2025

A former Clemson Football standout is headed back to his high school alma mater – and this time around, he’ll be wearing a whistle instead of cleats.

Former Clemson safety Jalyn Phillips has landed a coaching gig for the Archer High School football squad. Archer Football announced this week that Phillips will be the team’s safeties coach.

Before he suited up for the Clemson Tigers from 2019-23, Phillips was a three-year starter for the Archer Tigers. He finished his highly productive prep career with 198 tackles, six tackles for loss, two interceptions, 12 passes defensed, one caused fumble, three fumble recoveries and a blocked punt, to go with 16 receptions for 178 yards and a touchdown.

The former four-star prospect in the 2019 recruiting class was an all-regional defensive back in 2017, and then in 2018, he collected all-region and all-county honors. The Lawrenceville, Ga., native was one of the team captains in 2018.

Phillips committed to Clemson on Aug. 20, 2018, and went on to become a respected team leader for the Tigers. He concluded his five-year Clemson career with 187 tackles (5.0 for loss), 14 pass breakups, two interceptions, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery over 60 career games (29 starts).

Phillips was voted by his teammates as a permanent team captain in 2022, when he was a fourth-team All-ACC pick by Phil Steele after starting all 14 games and finishing second on the team in tackles (82), including 1.5 for loss. That season, he also posted four pass breakups, an interception and a fumble recovery in 667 defensive snaps.

Phillips left Clemson as one of nine players to appear in 60 career games for the Tigers, alongside punter Will Spiers, wide receiver/holder Will Swinney, linebacker James Skalski, placekicker B.T. Potter, safety Nolan Turner, defensive end Justin Mascoll, defensive end Xavier Thomas and offensive lineman Will Putnam.

Following his time at Clemson, Phillips signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Los Angeles Chargers in April 2024.

A three-time ACC Honor Roll selection (2019 and 2021-22) and two-time All-ACC Academic Team honoree (2022-23), Phillips earned his Clemson degree in communication in December 2022.