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The father of three current FBS football players was one of five passengers who died in a Monday plane crash that also claimed the life of former U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens.
Bill Phillips, himself a former University of Evansville football player, died Monday when the single-engine plane he was a passenger on, crashed on an Alaskan mountainside Monday while en route to a fishing vacation. Bill Phillips' youngest son, Willy, 13, was taken to an Anchorage hospital with undisclosed injuries and is expected to survive.
Three of Bill Phillips' older sons play football at Division I-A schools. Andrew Phillips is a senior guard at Stanford, while his brothers, Colter, a sophomore, and Dan, a freshman, are tight ends at Virginia and Indiana, respectively. Bill Lynch, the head coach at Indiana, and Mike London, UVA's head coach, offered condolences on behalf of their schools and programs, while asking the media to respect their players' privacy.
Through the university's sports information department, Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh said, in a statement: "We are struck with deep sadness by the tragic and sudden loss of Bill Phillips. The hearts and prayers of our entire team and staff extend to the Phillips family and the families of those lost in the crash. A man could hardly live a more full life than Bill, whose kindness and friendship touched us all deeply. His legacy lives on through his four sons, four incredible young men he raised."
Former University of Evansville coach Jim Byers told the Evansville Courier-Post that the elder Phillips was an excellent student and a key member of the 1974 Evansville team that advanced to the NCAA small college playoffs. Byers said Bill Phillips was a corporate attorney based in Washington and owned several fishing vessels in Alaska.
"What a sad story. The guy had so many positive things happen in his life because of his talent and his personality," said Byers.
Father of Three College Football Players Dies in Alaskan Plane Crash
Aug 11, 2010 – 10:42 AM
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