News

Football


  • All

FOOTBALL RECRUITING: Western Michigan Raids Detroit Cass Tech for Delshawn Phillips and Chris McDaniel

By: Branden Hunter, November 5, 2013, 8:45 am

The football factory that is Detroit Cass Tech continues to win on and off the field. The program has won two straight state titles, and is a producer of multiple college prospects every year.

This year’s team is 10-0, and aside from being in the drivers seat to three-peat as Division 1 state champions, the Technicians have seven players in their senior class committed to a Division 1 school.

Among the committed players are linebackers Will White (Buffalo) and Deon Drake (Michigan State), and well as running back Gary Hosey (Eastern Michigan). Cornerback Damon Webb is going to Ohio State, and defensive end Brian Sanders to Bowling Green.

The remaining commits ironically committed at the same time yesterday to Western Michigan. Defensive end/tight-end Chris McDaniel, and linebacker Delshawn Phillips. While McDaniel already held an offer from the Broncos, the 6-1, 214-pound Phillips was offered yesterday, and committed on the spot.

"They first called me a couple weeks back," Phillips said of Western Michigan. "I then had a meeting with coach Reynolds at Cass Tech and they really liked me, so they asked me to come up there. It was a no brainer."

Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan also expressed interest in Phillips, but Western Michigan was the first and only one to offer.

"I went up there today and I liked really it," Phillips said. "Especially because their engineering majors is one of the best and they want me to be a possible starter next year."

Phillips becomes the thirteenth commit from the state of Michigan to commit to Western Michigan, and joins McDaniel as the first Technicians to become Broncos since offensive lineman John Jackson in 2011. Cass Tech’s defense has only giving up 46 points in ten games this season, largely do to the play of it’s stellar linebacking corp. And unless you have the depth and athletes to matchup with them, it’ll be a long day on offense for you.

"It’s great playing on that defense because we’re a family," Phillips said. "As long as everyone is doing their job we’re unstoppable. Plus I think its one of the best linebacker groups that has been through Cass Tech."

Phillips may not be well known like the rest of the linebackers at Cass Tech, but his game speaks volumes. Aside from being a hard hitter, Phillips is fast to the ball, and has a great frame to add to while in college.

If Cass Tech wins a third state title at Ford Field in a few weeks, it’ll be off the strength of their defense, and Phillips said that tens times out of then that will happen.

Western Michigan also got a commit yesterday from Cass Tech senior Chris McDaniel, who was offered by the Broncos not too long ago. The 6-4, 210-pounder has the ability to play on either side of the ball, and says the coaching staff is recruiting him as an athlete right now.

"The coaching staff and the family environment is what made me commit to Western Michigan," McDaniel said.