Lawrence Phillips
Position(s): Running Back	Jersey #: 11, 21, 33
Date of birth: May 12, 1975 (1975-05-12) (age 32)
Place of birth: Little Rock, Arkansas
Career information
NFL Draft: 1996 / Round: 1/ Pick 6
College: Nebraska
Teams
1996-1997 1997 1999 1999 2002 2003	St. Louis Rams Miami Dolphins Barcelona Dragons (NFLE) San Francisco 49ers Montreal Alouettes (CFL) Calgary Stampeders (CFL)
Stats at DatabaseFootball.com

Lawrence Lamond Phillips (born May 12, 1975 in Little Rock, Arkansas), is a former professional American football and Canadian football running back who has had numerous conflicts with law enforcement. Phillips trouble with the law and inability to produce in the NFL have led many critics to label him as a bust. While at the same time, many critics consider him to be one of the greatest collegiate running backs ever, notably playing for what most of the nation considers the greatest collegiate football team ever (ESPN's All time NCAA playoff televised January 2007). He attended Baldwin Park High School in Baldwin Park, CA. Image File history File links Phillips_mug_shot. ... A diagram showing typical football positions In American football, each team has 11 players on the field at one time. ... P.J. Daniels was a star running back for Georgia Tech from 2002-2005. ... is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Arkansas. ... Location in Pulaski County, Arkansas Coordinates: , Country State County Pulaski Founded 1821 Incorporated 1831 Government  - Mayor Mark Stodola Area  - City  116. ... The NFL Draft (officially the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting[1]) is an annual sports draft in which National Football League (NFL) teams take turns, through seven rounds[2], selecting amateur college American football players and other first-time eligible players. ... The 1996 NFL Draft was one of the best draft classes ever for the position of Wide Receiver. ... This is a list of athletic conferences of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). ... Seal of the University of Nebraska The University of Nebraska is one of two public university systems in the state of Nebraska, USA. The system has four universities and a technical college: University of Nebraska-Lincoln University of Nebraska at Omaha University of Nebraska at Kearney University of Nebraska Medical... City St. ... City Miami Gardens, Florida Other nicknames The Fins Team colors Aqua, Coral, White and Navy Head Coach liljimjim Owner Wayne Huizenga General manager Randy Mueller Mascot T.D. League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1966-1969) Eastern Division (1966-1969) National Football League (1970–present) American Football Conference (1970-present... Year Founded 1991 Year Retired 2003 City Barcelona, Spain Team Colors Dark Green, Scarlet, Yellow, White Franchise W-L-T Record Regular Season: 59-51-0 Postseason: 2-4 Championships World Bowls (1) World Bowl V (1997) The Barcelona Dragons were a team originally in the World League of American... City San Francisco, California Other nicknames Niners, The Red And Gold, Bay Bombers Team colors Cardinal red, metallic gold and black Head Coach Mike Nolan Owner Denise DeBartolo York and John York General manager Lal Heneghan Mascot Sourdough Sam League/Conference affiliations All-America Football Conference (1946-1949) Western Division... The Montreal Alouettes (French: Alouettes de Montréal) are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec. ... For the defunct hockey team, see Calgary Stampeders (hockey) The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta. ... is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... There is also a Littlerock, California. ... Official language(s) English Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Largest metro area Little Rock Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 29th  - Total 53,179 sq mi (137,002 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 261 miles (420 km)  - % water 2. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... Diagram of a Canadian football field. ... P.J. Daniels was a star running back for Georgia Tech from 2002-2005. ... NFL logo For other uses of the abbreviation NFL, see NFL (disambiguation). ... A bust can be one of: Bust (sculpture), a sculpture depicting a persons chest, shoulders, and head, usually supported by a stand. ...

College career

When recruited by the University of Nebraska, Phillips was living in a foster home in southern California. At Nebraska, Phillips demonstrated his outstanding athletic ability on the field and began his string of troubling mishaps with the law. In 1993, his freshman year at Nebraska, Phillips excited the coaching staff, teammates, and fans with his blend of speed and power. In the 1994 Orange Bowl game (at the end of the 1993 regular season) against Florida State, Phillips rushed 13 times for 64 of the Huskers 183 rushing yards against a staunch Seminole defense. All but one of Phillips's carries came in the fourth quarter, and he also scored on a 12-yard touchdown run. The game established him as the main running back in the Nebraska offense. Phillips wore the number 1 and it was a true representation of his status as the best player on the team. Seal of the University of Nebraska The University of Nebraska is one of two public university systems in the state of Nebraska, USA. The system has four universities and a technical college: University of Nebraska-Lincoln University of Nebraska at Omaha University of Nebraska at Kearney University of Nebraska Medical... Foster care is a system by which adults care for orphans or other children who are not living with their biological parents, for example due to child abuse. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Seal of the University of Nebraska The University of Nebraska is one of two public university systems in the state of Nebraska, USA. The system has four universities and a technical college: University of Nebraska-Lincoln University of Nebraska at Omaha University of Nebraska at Kearney University of Nebraska Medical... The Orange Bowl is an annual college football game that is usually played on January 1 in the Miami, Florida metro area, in the United States. ... Florida State University (commonly referred to as Florida State or FSU)[7] is a public research university located in Tallahassee. ... The Nebraska Cornhuskers (often abbreviated to Huskers) is the name given to several sports teams of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. ... Florida State Womens & Mens team logos. ... The Nebraska Cornhuskers (often abbreviated to Huskers) is the name given to several sports teams of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. ...

By his sophomore year, Phillips was the focal point of the offense as Tommie Frazier went down early in the season with a leg injury. After back-up quarterback Brook Berringer was injured, the quarterback position was turned over to 3rd string, walk-on player Matt Turman. With Turman under center, the Nebraska offense was simplified with Lawrence Phillips as the main focus. Phillips tied a school record by rushing for 100 yards or more in 11 straight games in 1994 despite frequently playing against eight- or nine-man defensive fronts. Phillips further endeared himself to teammates by playing through a painful thumb injury that effectively left him with one hand. Phillips's performance in the Orange Bowl was key to Nebraska's securing its undefeated season and national championship in 1994. Against the Miami Hurricanes, who had the top-rated defense in college football that year (with future NFL Pro Bowlers Warren Sapp and Ray Lewis), Phillips had 96 yards on 19 carries, including one 25-yard run that was the longest rushing play the Hurricanes had allowed all season. During the regular season, Phillips ran for 1,722 yards, still a Nebraska record for a sophomore. Tommie Frazier (born on July 16, 1974, in Bradenton, Florida) is a former NCAA football quarterback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. ... Brook Berringer (July 9, 1973-April 18, 1996) was a quarterback for the University of Nebraska football team in the mid-1990s. ... Warren Carlos Sapp (born December 19, 1972 in Orlando, Florida) is a professional football player for the NFLs Oakland Raiders. ... Ray Anthony Lewis (born May 15, 1975 in Bartow, Florida) is an American football linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL. In January 2000, Lewis led Baltimore to a Super Bowl XXXV victory and was named Most Valuable Player for that game. ...

The following year, Phillips was poised to lead the Huskers to a repeat championship and challenge for the Heisman Trophy. During the Huskers' win over Michigan State in their second game of the season, Phillips had 206 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns on 22 carries. After two games on the season, he was averaging more than 10 yards per carry. He then made a mistake that would haunt him and his coach for years to come. Late at night when the team returned from East Lansing, Michigan, Phillips went looking for his ex-girlfriend, Kate McEwen, a basketball player for the Nebraska women's team. He found her in the apartment of another football player, Scott Frost. Frost had transferred from Stanford the year before, and was sitting out the 1995 season. Phillips found McEwen and assaulted her by dragging her down a stairwell by her hair. Frost was eventually able to intervene, but not before Phillips had caused significant harm to McEwen. Phillips was subsequently suspended from the Husker football team by Head Coach Tom Osborne. Many in the Lincoln community and national media felt that Osborne was coddling a star player by not kicking Phillips off the team permanently. It was reported that Osborne felt that despite the pressure his decision was appropriate, because Phillips would be better off in the structure and support system of the football program than on his own. Osborne reinstated Phillips for the Iowa State game, although touted freshman Ahman Green continued to start. Phillips also contributed against Kansas and Oklahoma, but he had gained weight, become physically out of shape, and appeared rusty (although he was starting to show flashes against the Sooners, particularly on one 25-yard run off a direct-snap play). “Heisman” redirects here. ... Michigan State University (MSU) is a co-educational public research university in East Lansing, Michigan USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act. ... Location in Michigan Coordinates: , Country State Counties Ingham, Clinton Incorporation 1907 Government  - Type Council-Manager  - Mayor Samir Singh (D)  - City Manager Theodore J. Stanton Area  - City  11. ... Scott Frost is a graduate assistant coach at Kansas State. ... Stanford redirects here. ... Thomas William Tom Osborne (born February 23, 1937 in Hastings, Nebraska) is a former football coach for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and a current Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Nebraskas 3rd congressional district. ... Nickname: Location in Nebraska Coordinates: , Country   State     County United States   Nebraska     Lancaster Founded[1]   Renamed   Incorporated 1856   July 29, 1867   April 1, 1869 Government  - Mayor Chris Beutler Area  - City 195. ... The Iowa State Cyclones, or Clones, are the athletic teams of the Iowa State University. ... Ahman Rashad Green (born February 16, 1977 in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.) is an American football running back who plays for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. ... The sports teams at the University of Kansas are known as the Jayhawks. ... University of Oklahoma, abbreviated OU, is a coeducational public research university located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma founded in 1890. ... The University of Oklahoma features 17 varsity sports teams. ...

By the 1996 Fiesta Bowl, Phillips had regained his stride and looked to prove to NFL teams that he was a high first round pick. Osborne, despite pressure from the national media, named Phillips the starter. On the Huskers' first drive, Phillips caught a swing pass from Tommie Frazier and took it for a 16-yard touchdown, leaping into the endzone. Later in the first half, he had a particularly spectacular 42-yard touchdown run, overpowering and outracing several University of Florida defenders to the endzone. Phillips had 102 rushing yards on 10 carries by halftime and finished the game with 165 yards rushing, two rushing touchdowns and the aforementioned touchdown reception. The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Tostitos tortilla chips (a Frito-Lay product), is a United States college football game played annually since 1971. ... NFL logo For other uses of the abbreviation NFL, see NFL (disambiguation). ... The University of Florida (Florida, UFL, or UF) is a public land-grant, research university located in Gainesville, Florida. ...

Professional Football Career

With his strong performance, Phillips was drafted sixth overall in the 1996 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams despite his considerable character issues (indeed, several teams with higher picks openly said they passed on him because of his off-the-field troubles). Phillips played the 1996 and part of the 1997 seasons with the Rams before refusing to show for a team meeting and practice in a dispute with coach Dick Vermeil over playing time and being cut (a teary-eyed Vermeil at the time called Phillips potentially the best running back he had ever coached). The Rams cut Phillips in November 1997. Phillips then moved on to the Miami Dolphins for two games before being cut again after running for only 44 yards on 18 carries for a 2.4 yard-per-carry average. During this time, Phillips also pleaded no contest to assaulting a woman in a nightclub. The 1996 NFL Draft was one of the best draft classes ever for the position of Wide Receiver. ... City St. ... Dick Vermeil is a former American head coach for the National Football Leagues Philadelphia Eagles (1976-1982), St. ... City Miami Gardens, Florida Other nicknames The Fins Team colors Aqua, Coral, White and Navy Head Coach liljimjim Owner Wayne Huizenga General manager Randy Mueller Mascot T.D. League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1966-1969) Eastern Division (1966-1969) National Football League (1970–present) American Football Conference (1970-present... Nolo contendere, in criminal trials, in some common law jurisdictions, is a plea where the defendant neither admits nor disputes a charge, serving as an alternative to a pleading of guilty or not guilty. ...

Phillips missed the 1998 season before attempting a comeback in 1999; he set NFL Europe offensive records with the Barcelona Dragons (1021 yards and 14 TDs) before returning stateside with the San Francisco 49ers, but was unable to complete the entire season. Moreover, during his time with the 49ers, Phillips was known for missing a crucial block on all-pro cornerback Aeneas Williams who proceeded to knock out Steve Young during a Monday Night Football game against the Arizona Cardinals. This injury would lead to the end of Young's career. In the same game, Phillips for a moment flashed his old skills, darting for a 74-yard touchdown to put the game away 24-10, outrunning Aeneas Williams to the end zone. In 2001, Phillips signed with the Florida Bobcats of the Arena Football League but was fired after leaving the team without telling his coach. The NFL Europe League is an American football league which operates in Europe. ... Year Founded 1991 Year Retired 2003 City Barcelona, Spain Team Colors Dark Green, Scarlet, Yellow, White Franchise W-L-T Record Regular Season: 59-51-0 Postseason: 2-4 Championships World Bowls (1) World Bowl V (1997) The Barcelona Dragons were a team originally in the World League of American... City San Francisco, California Other nicknames Niners, The Red And Gold, Bay Bombers Team colors Cardinal red, metallic gold and black Head Coach Mike Nolan Owner Denise DeBartolo York and John York General manager Lal Heneghan Mascot Sourdough Sam League/Conference affiliations All-America Football Conference (1946-1949) Western Division... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Aeneas Demetrius Williams (born January 29, 1968 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is a former American football cornerback and free safety, who last played with the St. ... Jon Steven Young (born October 11, 1961 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA), is a former quarterback for the National Football Leagues San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Los Angeles Express of the short-lived United States Football League. ... Monday Night Football (MNF) is a live television broadcast of the National Football League. ... City Glendale, Arizona Other nicknames The Cards, The Birds, Big Red, The Buzzsaw Team colors Cardinal Red, Black, and White Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt Owner Bill Bidwill General manager Rod Graves Mascot Big Red League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1920–present) Western Division (1933-1949) American Conference (1950-1952... Year founded 1992 Year folded 2001 Prior names Sacramento Attack, Miami Hooters ArenaBowl championships none // History Sacramento Attack (1992) The Sacramento Attack was an Arena Football League team that competed under that name in the 1992 AFL season only. ... The Arena Football League (AFL) was founded in 1987 as an American football indoor league. ...

Phillips then moved on to the Canadian Football League, helping the Montreal Alouettes (1022 yards and 13 TDs) win the 2002 Grey Cup. Cut in training camp for insubordination by Montreal in 2003, Phillips signed with the Calgary Stampeders (rushing for 486 yards on 107 carries and 1 TD), but was again released for arguing with his coach. “CFL” redirects here. ... The Montreal Alouettes (French: Alouettes de Montréal) are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec. ... The 90th Grey Cup was hosted at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta in 2002. ... The 2003 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 50th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 46th Canadian Football League season. ... For the defunct hockey team, see Calgary Stampeders (hockey) The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta. ...

Troubled Life After Professional Football

On August 21, 2005, Phillips was arrested for assault after allegedly driving a car into three teenagers, following a dispute with the teens during a pick-up football game in Los Angeles, California. At the time of the arrest, Phillips was wanted by San Diego in connection with two alleged domestic abuse incidents involving a former girlfriend, who claimed that Phillips choked her to the point of unconsciousness during one of the incidents. In addition, Los Angeles police were seeking Phillips in connection with yet another, separate domestic abuse allegation that occurred previously in Los Angeles. is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Los Angeles and L.A. redirect here. ... San Diego redirects here. ... Abuse is a general term for the misuse of a person or thing, causing harm to the person or thing, to the abuser, or to someone else. ... LAPD and L.A.P.D. redirect here. ...

In March, 2006, the Associated Press reported that Phillips had been ordered to stand trial on felony assault charges stemming from the August 21, 2005 incident. The assigned judge dismissed two counts of child abuse and one count of leaving the scene of an accident arising from the same incident. Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ... For the record label, see Felony Records The term felony is a term used in common law systems for very serious crimes, whereas misdemeanors are considered to be less serious offenses. ...

On October 10, 2006, Phillips was found guilty of seven counts of assault with a deadly weapon. He faces up to 20 years in state prison. His next court appearance for sentencing is set for Nov. 16, 2007, if the state Supreme Court hands down a ruling before that date that could affect the maximum sentence. Following the sentencing, Phillips is expected to stand trial in San Diego on auto theft charges related to the 2005 case. is the 283rd day of the year (284th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

What others say

• Dick Vermeil was one of Phillips' supporters and even called him "potentially the greatest running back I (he) ever coached".
• Former University of Miami alum and current Baltimore Ravens star linebacker Ray Lewis listed Phillips as his toughest opponent.

External links

• ESPN.com article (August 22, 2005) - Phillips arrested; also wanted for domestic violence
• KFFL (fantasy football league news) Retired Player Lawrence Phillips