By LARRY VAUGHT

Chattanooga quarterback Reese Phillips, who has committed to Kentucky, thinks starting on the high school team as an eighth-grader and playing multiple positions helped him develop a better overall feel for the game at quarterback.

“I have been a quarterback my whole life. My dad and granddad (Harry Phillips at Georgia) were quarterbacks. It’s like a family tradition,” Phillips, who also had an uncle, Dickie Phillips, that was an all-American lineman at Georgia, said. “Being in an offense like we run really kind of develops leadership skills. Sometimes our running game works so well, there is no need to try and throw a lot.

“I am more concerned about winning. I am not concerned about fancy stats. For me, it’s about consistency and accuracy. That involves leadership. You have got to be mentally tough and not pout about not throwing it every down.”

Phillips gets in some extra throwing on the baseball field. He played shortstop and pitcher before solely turning into a pitcher last season because of his football commitments. His earned run average was about 0.75 this season with a “ton of strikeouts” even though he didn’t pitch as much as he hoped last season.

He doesn’t plan to play his first year at Kentucky, either. Or at least not in games.

“I think I could get the hang of it and play my first year, but I wanted to get redshirted,” Phillips said. “I have told all the coaches that. The physical part, you get bigger and stuff for SEC play. But redshirting will be more to get used to the mental part and speed and pace of the SEC. I had to wait my time in high school, but then we won. It’s just part of the process.

“As a quarterback, you always have confidence. I know there will be a couple of quarterbacks (Maxwell Smith and Patrick Towles) ahead of me, but you have to believe you can come, compete and win.”

Phillips says his verbal commitment to UK created quite a buzz among family and friends. He’s the first player at his school to commit to a SEC school and says he’s only the third SEC quarterback out of Chattanooga in the last 50 years.

“Chattanooga was freaking out. When I left Kentucky, I had 35 people start following me on Twitter, 30 messages on Facebook from friends and reporters and family,” Phillips said. “I had over 200 likes on my status (on Facebook) and people wanting to be my friend. It was crazy.”

Phillips says not to worry about him wavering on his commitment between now and February when he can sign with UK.

“I’m firmly committed to Kentucky. I’m sold on the city, the school, the football program and the coaches,” the quarterback said.