Vincent C. Phillips Jr. poses for a picture in front of a University Liggett School backdrop after being named the program’s new head football coach.
By: Scott Bentley | Grosse Pointe Times | Published April 7, 2026
GROSSE POINTE WOODS — Earlier this offseason, University Liggett School hired Vincent C. Phillips Jr. as the school’s new head football coach.
Phillips has seven years of head coaching experience at South Lake High School and L’Anse Creuse High School. As a head coach, he has led multiple teams to the playoffs and also served as an offensive coordinator for Southeastern, Renaissance, Eastpointe and Hamtramck high schools.
“When I got offered the position … this is a place I just knew, with the structure being what it is, that it was a no-brainer for me,” Phillips Jr. said. “The other sports are already doing great. So, why not football? I knew it was the right fit for me.”
Despite a history of success, Liggett finished just 1-8 in 2025 and was in last place in the Catholic High School League-Intersectional 1 division.
“I think the roster is really good. … The guys that are returning, and the body type that we have, I think we’re going to be able to do some really good things,” Phillips Jr. said. “They’re smart kids. You can teach them the game. I’m excited about what we have.”
Phillips Jr. describes himself as a hands-on coach and is a former quarterback. He played all throughout his childhood and was a quarterback at Tiffin University.
One of the most impressive areas of Phillips Jr.’s resumé is that every quarterback he has coached has gone on to play collegiate football, according to a press release by the team on March 2. It’s a streak that he expects to continue.
“I will be (Liggett’s) offensive coordinator, and I will coach (quarterback) as well,” Phillips Jr. said. “I like to play up-tempo and fast. I also like to let the kids have an opportunity to have some input in the offense. … We want to spread the ball around to a lot of different guys and score a lot of points.”
The new head coach also has experience in leadership off the football field, as he was the dean of students at South Lake High School. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Sports and Recreation Management from Tiffin University and an MBA in Human Resource Management.
“It’s big that the community understands that we’re not just building a football program, but we’re going to build good kids in the community,” Phillips Jr. said. “You’ll start seeing a lot of community stuff this summer. I want to build a sustainable program that will last. … I don’t take that lightly.”
Liggett’s athletic director, Brian Anderson, has similar expectations for Phillips Jr. and his effect on the program.
“We’re really excited to see the ULS football program grow under his leadership,” Anderson said in a press release from the school. “He will bring out the best in his players both on and off the field.”
Anderson also said that the school is committed to providing the best coaches, teachers and resources to Liggett students, and he highlighted that this hire is more evidence of that.
“We are thrilled to welcome Coach Phillips to the ULS community,” Anderson said in the same press release from the school. “He has had a lot of success for a long time. His players always perform well not only because of the expertise he provides them with but how he goes about molding them as young men.”
Phillips Jr. mentioned that he and his family plan on this being the last head coaching job he takes, and they expect him to be at Liggett for the long haul.
“To get this opportunity at a prestigious school like Liggett, it’s a dream come true, man,” Phillips Jr. said. “And I think we’re going to be able to turn this thing around quickly.”
According to the MHSAA website, Liggett will open the football season on Aug 27 at home against Southfield Bradford Academy.