MOBILE – Running back Keenan Phillips was named the Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week, as announced by the league office on Monday afternoon.
 
Phillips' play on special teams was highlighted by a 100-yard kick return in the first quarter that gave South Alabama a 14-7 lead at the time. He was the first Jaguar to return a kickoff for a touchdown since Xavier Johnson during the 2016 season, and Phillips is only the fourth Jag to take a kick return all the way to the house.
 
The junior also had quite the day on the ground, rushing for a career-high 157 yards and three scores in the 56-49 win over Arkansas State. Phillips now has two 100-yard rushing games to his name after reaching 116 yards in the Ohio game.
 
Phillips owns the longest kick return for a score this season in the Sun Belt and is averaging 29.6 yards per return on eight attempts. The Bainbridge, Ga. native tallied 264 all-purpose yards, which is the fifth-most yardage by a player in a single game this season in the FBS. It is also the third-most by a Jag in a single game and the most since La'Damien Webb has 247 in 2022.
 
The Jags will travel to Marshall on Tuesday, Oct. 20. Kickoff from Huntington, W.V. is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
 
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