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He said the choice to transfer was a family decision.

"Syracuse, it was great up there," said Phillips. "It was a good experience being away from home and being on my own for awhile. Everything was pretty good. I got some playing time as a true freshman and it made me feel welcome.

"My grandmother’s pretty sick and my stepfather too. I wanted to make sure I was closer to home so I could be there for them."

Phillips said he made the decision to leave Syracuse after coming home for the winter break. He considered pursuing a transfer to Temple along with Johnson, which would have brought him significantly closer to home than Syracuse.

Ultimately, the choice was Wagner.

"They’re really excited for me to come," said Phillips. "They’ve graduated two of their corners and they want me for that position."