The Class of 2029 linebacker and running back adds an Indiana offer after a breakout freshman season and a summer of growing recruiting attention.

Indiana has officially joined the pursuit of East Noble standout Austin Phillips.

The Class of 2029 linebacker announced his offer September 5 while visiting Bloomington for the Hoosiers’ game against North Texas. His post on X included a photo with Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines.

“After a great conversation with @Coach_BHaines I now have an Official Offer from @IndianaFootball!!!” Phillips wrote.

For those who have watched Phillips play, the growing attention comes as little surprise. That includes me.

Coach Griff’s Perspective

I’ve covered games Austin has played in, including during his freshman season last year. After one of those games, I told Haines he’d better get on this kid because Power Four programs would be lining up at the door.

Austin didn’t have an offer at the time.

In the final weeks of that season, Indiana had him down for a game. Now, after a summer of growing recruiting attention, the Hoosiers have extended an offer of their own.

What stood out to me was his combination of size, power and ability to move. He’s a big, powerful kid with enough speed at linebacker to run sideline to sideline. He’s also shown what he can do with the football in his hands, playing running back for the East Noble Knights.

That’s why I keep coming back to this: Austin Phillips is a football player. Period.

I saw it before the offers started coming. Watching his recruitment take off brings me back to that conversation with Haines last fall.

Production on Both Sides of the Ball

Phillips continues to give college coaches reasons to pay attention.

In East Noble’s 46–36 victory over Snider on August 28, he recorded 12 tackles while rushing for 69 yards and two touchdowns, according to the Knights’ game recap.

That performance illustrates the impact he can have in multiple roles. He can help finish possessions on defense, then turn around and contribute to scoring drives on offense.

From my perspective, that matters when evaluating a young player. Watching him compete on both sides gives you more opportunities to see his movement, physicality and feel for the game.

A Recruitment Gaining Momentum

Indiana joins an offer list that already includes Notre Dame, Michigan State and Louisville.

Notre Dame offered Phillips following its Irish Invasion camp in June. Michigan State followed later that month after a camp appearance in East Lansing.

Those offers show how quickly his recruitment has developed since his freshman season. Still a sophomore, Phillips has plenty of football ahead of him—and considerable time before a college decision.

For Indiana, the opportunity is to keep building its relationship with an in-state prospect who is drawing attention beyond the state’s borders.

Why This Matters for the Hoosiers

Recruiting talented players close to home means identifying them early and staying involved as the competition grows. Indiana hosted Phillips last season, brought him back to Bloomington and now has put an offer on the table.

His relationship with Haines will be worth following as this recruitment develops.

There’s a long way to go, but I know what caught my attention watching him last year: a young player with size, power and the ability to make plays all over the field.

The offer list is catching up to what Austin Phillips has been showing on Friday nights.