Career Highlights
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2009 Second-Team All-Big 12 (Coaches, Associated Press, Kansas City Star, San Antonio Express-News, Rivals.com)
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2009 Tom Novak Award Winner
2009 (Senior)
Linebacker Phillip Dillard authored one of the best comeback stories at Nebraska in recent years in 2009. Dillard suffered a season-ending injury midway through the 2008 season, then dropped on the linebacker depth chart during spring ball and fall camp. However, Dillard moved back into a starting role early in his senior season and never looked back, developing into a leader and play-maker on one of the nation's best defenses.
Despite not playing in the first two games, Dillard finished second on the team with 83 tackles, including 11 tackles for loss and three sacks. Dillard was at his best in Big 12 play, registering at least five tackles in each of the season's final eight games, including five games with at least eight tackles. His 7.8 tackles per game in conference play ranked ninth in the Big 12.
Dillard's play helped Nebraska lead the nation in scoring defense and pass efficiency defense, while ranking in the top 10 in total defense and rushing defense. The 6-1, 240-pound Dillard was honored for his play, being named second-team All-Big 12 by numerous outlets.
Dillard made five tackles in his 2009 debut at Virginia Tech. He had a personal-best 12 tackles, including eight solo stops and four tackles for loss against Texas Tech. He had 12 tackles for the second straight game against Iowa State, then had eight tackles, including five solo stops, a pair of tackles for loss and a sack against Oklahoma. He capped the win over his homestate school with a fourth-quarter interception.
Dillard had eight tackles, a sack and a forced fumble against Kansas State, then led the team with eight tackles at Colorado. He had six tackles and a pair of tackles for loss against Texas, before capping his career with a team-high seven tackles in the Holiday Bowl shutout against Arizona.
2008 (Junior)
Before missing the final four games of the regular season, Dillard emerged as a leader in the linebacking corps and ranked among the team leaders in tackles. His play assisted an NU defense that finished second in the Big 12 in total defense and improved its per game average by 126 yards per game. Dillard returned for limited action in the Gator Bowl.
2007 (Sophomore)
Dillard played in all 12 games at the Mike linebacker spot, splitting time with senior Corey McKeon. Dillard started against Missouri and Oklahoma State and finished the year with 37 tackles, including 22 solo stops. Dillard had five games with four or more tackles, including a career-high six tackles each against Wake Forest and Ball State. He added five tackles at Missouri and had four tackles against both Kansas and Iowa State. He recorded his lone tackle for loss of the year against Oklahoma State.
2006 (Redshirt)
Dillard showed great promise early against Louisiana Tech, making four tackles, including three solo stops, before going down with an ACL injury. He spent the remainder of the season going through rehabilitation and received a medical redshirt.
2005 (Freshman)
Dillard played in 11 games as a true freshman in 2005, including a start against Missouri, and finished with 11 tackles. One of 13 Husker true freshmen to see action, Dillard missed only the matchup with Pittsburgh. He had a pair of solo tackles in his collegiate debut against Maine, including a tackle for loss. He added a pair of tackles against Wake Forest.
He was strong at the close of the year, compiling seven tackles in the final four games. He capped the regular season with a season-high three tackles in the 30-3 win at Colorado, then added two solo stops in the Alamo Bowl win over Michigan.
Before Nebraska (Jenks HS)
Dillard was one of the nation’s top linebacker prospects after earning Oklahoma all-state honors for two consecutive seasons at Jenks High School, a Tulsa prep powerhouse. Dillard led his team to a Class 6A state-runner-up finish in 2004, when he had more than 120 tackles, including 75 solo stops and three sacks, along with seven pass breakups.
In his final two seasons playing for Coach Allen Trimble, Dillard totaled more than 200 tackles. He also caught four passes as a senior, three of which went for touchdowns. In addition to his all-state honors from nearly every media outlet, Dillard was named the Jim Thorpe Association Oklahoma Defensive Player of the Year as a junior in 2003. Dillard was one of seven 2005 Nebraska recruits who played in the U.S. Army All-American game in San Antonio. Dillard helped the West squad to a 35-3 victory with an interception.
Rivals.com ranked Dillard among the nation’s top five prospects in Oklahoma and among the top five linebackers in the country in 2005. Dillard chose the Huskers after also receiving scholarship offers from Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Texas A&M, among others.
Personal
Dillard's guardians are Tyrone and Ronda Lynne, and Phillip was born on Dec. 10, 1986. He is a sociology major, and has volunteered his time with the Read to Succeed Book Drive and Nebraska’s local hospital visits.
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Tackles
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Fum.
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QB
Year
G/S
UT
AT
TT
TFL
Sacks
C-R
BK
PBU
PI
Hry.
2005
11/1 7 4 11 1-2 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 02006*
1/0
3
1
4
0-0
0-0
0-0
0
0
0
0
2007
12/2
22
15
37
1-1
0-0
0-0
0
2
0
1
2008 9/5 13 25 38 2-9 0.5-6 0-0 0 1 0 1 2009 12/9 45 38 83 11-45 3-27 1-0 0 3 1 4Totals
45/17
90
83
173
15-57
3.5-33
1-0
0
6
1
6
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*Medical Redshirt in 2006
Single-Game Bests:
Tackles-12 vs. Texas Tech and Iowa State, 2009
Solo Tackles-8 vs. Texas Tech, 2009
Tackles for Loss-4 vs. Texas Tech, 2009
Sacks-1.0 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, Oklahoma and Kansas State in 2009