South Alabama recently picked up a 2025 verbal commitment from one of the top junior-college running backs in the country.

Keenan Phillips of Georgia Military College — a second-team NJCAA All-American in 2024 — is expected to enroll at USA for the spring semester. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound native of Bainbridge, Ga., rushed for 868 yards and 19 touchdowns on 115 carries (an average of 7.5 yards per carry) for a GMC team that went 10-2 and reached the NJCAA semifinals this past season.

Phillips also caught 12 passes for 219 yards and four touchdowns this past season, and returned a kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown. A true freshman in 2024, he has three years of eligibility remaining.

Phillips will join a South Alabama running back room that lost Fluff Bothwell and Braylon McReynolds to the transfer portal after the 2024 season. Starting running back Kentrel Bullock returns in 2025, but will be a sixth-year senior.

South Alabama is also set to return redshirt freshmen P.J. Martin and Jarvis Durr and rising senior Iverson Celestine at the running back position next season. Martin is the likeliest candidate for carries alongside Bullock, though Phillips would ostensibly provide serious competition in that regard.

South Alabama football 2025 recruiting class

December signees (12)

Kearius Bivens, OL, 6-7, 305, Chatom, Ala./Washington County HS

Kohl Bradley, DB, 6-0, 170, Lucedale, Miss./George County HS

Julyon Jordan, RB, 5-11, 175, Guntersville, Ala./Guntersville HS

Brec Long, TE, 6-4, 230, Copan, Okla./Coffeyville (Kan.) CC

E’Mauri Smiley, DL, 6-3, 254, Opelika, Ala./Opelika HS

Lorenzo Smith, DB, 6-0, 190, Farmhaven, Miss./Jones College

Shermon Smith, LB, 6-1, 210, Sylvester, Ga./Worth County HS

Trae Stevenson, WR, 6-0, 170, Madison, Miss./Germantown HS

Jeremiah Thomas, DB, 5-10, 170, Havana, Fla./Gadsden County HS

Deuce Vance, DB, 5-11, 178, Hattiesburg, Miss./Hattiesburg HS

Devin White, OL, 6-4, 290, Tuscaloosa, Ala./Northridge HS

Dominic Wiseman, DL, 6-1, 300, Davenport, Iowa/Iowa Western CC

January signees (1)

Keenan Phillips, RB, 5-10, 180, Bainbridge, Ga./Georgia Military College

January portal commits (4)

Brendan Jenkins, WR, 6-2, 200, Mill Creek, Ga./Samford

Tirrell Johnson, DE, 6-2, 250, Wynne, Ark./Harding

Tre’Mon Henry, LB, 6-2, 245, Columbus, Ga./Southern Miss

Dallas Young, SAF, 6-0, 196, Gardendale, Ala./Arkansas

February commits (2)

Maddox Lynch, TE, 6-4, 230, Vicksburg, Miss./Warren Central HS

Ti Mims, WR, 5-11, 170, Bay Minette, Ala./Baldwin County HS