Pitt Football Offers FCS Transfer WR

Pitt Panthers football offered an FCS transfer wide receiver.

Chattanooga wide receiver Sam Phillips (11) is tackled during a game between Tennessee and Chattanooga, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. / Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers continue searching for new wideouts in the transfer portal, and are considering every level of college football.

Sam Phillips, a wide receiver transfer who played for FCS program Chattanooga, announced that Pitt offensive coordinator Kade Bell offered him.

Phillips has received great interest in his services since entering the transfer portal on Dec. 8.

He received offers from Houston and UConn, MAC schools in Ball State, Kent State and Western Michigan, American schools in East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, North Texas, Tulsa and UAB, Conference USA schools in UTEP and Western Kentucky, plus Sun Belt schools in James Madison and South Alabama

Phillips also set up visits with Virginia Tech on Dec. 19, Iowa, Cal, and will visit USC on Jan. 3.

He hails from Cartersville, Ga. and played for Cartersville High School, where he made 69 catches for 868 yards and five touchdowns as a senior. He earned an honorable mention Class 5A All-State and led his team to the 2020 GHSAA 5A Championship game.

Phillips committed to Chattanooga in the Class of 2021 and contributed to the scout team as a true freshman.

He then had a sensational season in 2022, making a program freshman record 44 catches for a team-high 661 yards and two touchdowns in 11 starts.

Phillips made a season-high 11 catches for 163 yards in the home loss to then ranked No. 10 Samford in Week 11 and also made nine catches for 106 yards in the road loss to Western Carolina in Week 12.

He earned SoCon All-Freshman Team, Phil Steele All-SoCon Third team, and Phil Steele Freshman All-America Third Team honors for his efforts.

Phillips made 60 catches for 624 yards and four touchdowns in 2023, starting all 13 contests. He had a season-high 98 receiving yards in a game twice, along with 10 catches and two touchdowns in the home win vs. Kennesaw State in Week 2, and a season-high 11 catches in the upset road win over then ranked No. 20 Samford in Week 4.

He made 50 catches for a career-high 823 yards and three touchdowns this past season in 10 starts.

His best game came in the slim, 24-21 road loss to FBS program Georgia State in Week 2, with eight catches for a career-high 195 yards, including an 84-yard touchdown.

Phillips made five catches for 150 yards and a touchdown in the home win over Portland State in Week 5 and made six receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown in the upset, road win over No. 23 East Tennessee State in Week 6.

He earned All-SoCon First Team honors for his performances in 2024.

Pitt has landed one wide receiver transfer commitment in rising sixth year Deuce Spann from Florida State. They also secured the services of redshirt senior offensive lineman Kendall Stanley from Charlotte  and rising junior placekicker James London from Murray State.

The returning wide receivers the Panthers have coming in for next season includes rising redshirt senior Raphael Williams Jr., rising senior Censere "C.J." Lee, rising junior Kenny Johnson, rising redshirt sophomore Zion Fowler-El and rising redshirt freshmen in Cameron Monteiro and Tyreek Robinson.

Pitt also has incoming freshman wide receivers in in Cameron Sapp out of Miami Palmetto High School in Miami, Bryce Yates out of Matoaca High School in Matoaca, Va. and Tony Kinsler out of Spruce Creek High School in Port Orange, Fla., 

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