Joining head football coach Carlin Carpenter’s staff as a strength and conditioning coach in 1988 in a voluntary capacity, Denny Phillips ’79 was promoted to assistant coach the following year. He dedicated 25 years to Beavers football and completed his final season in 2013 as the defensive backs coach. He also served as the special teams coordinator.

Phillips was the defensive backs and strength and conditioning coach when the team shared the HCAC championship in 2000, the only time Beavers football accomplished this in school history. He was previously inducted into the Hall of Fame with the 2000 team.

In 1992, Phillips began coaching for Bluffton’s track and field team and served as head coach through the 1998 season. He led the Beavers to three AMC championships in his first four years as coach.

A 1979 graduate of Bluffton in health, physical education and recreation, Phillips was a four-year member of Bluffton’s men’s basketball team and served as co-captain in 1979. During his Bluffton coaching tenure, he was also a full-time teacher at Leipsic and Bluffton Elementary schools. He also coached football and track at the high school level. A resident of the Village of Bluffton, he coached many youth teams as well and is married to Kaye (Closson ’80) Phillips. They are parents to Adam (Sarah Hounshell ’12) Phillips ’10 and Justin Phillips and have a grandson.

Denny Phillips was inducted in the Bluffton University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022 for his coaching achievements.