An athletic scholarship entails many things, like tuition, fees, board, food and textbooks. For walk-ons, on the other hand, it is the ultimate goal. A goal that was achieved on Monday by Mississippi State linebackers Josiah Phillips and Kelan Chairs. 

Phillips, a sophomore from Starkville, Mississippi, is one of 13 kids and was homeschooled. Even with his only organized football experience being eight man flag football he managed to walk on. 

Before Monday, his education was payed for by his older brother Johnathan Phillips, a former Bulldog walk-on who is now an army ranger stationed in Fort Benning, Georgia. 

Phillips originally walked-on as a quarterback. Coach Brian Johnson taught Phillips the basics of football. However, he eventually moved to scout team tight end. Phillips was a tight end for two months. In the spring of 2015, he was moved to linebacker. 

“On the first day of spring ball, I had the playbook down and was ready to go,” Phillips said. “Then I got a text from Coach Diaz, who was the coordinator at the time, saying you’re now a linebacker, and I was kind of mad because I just studied all night for no reason, and now I have no idea what I’m going to do.”

 Phillips said growing up he always wanted to play football at MSU. After getting his scholarship he said his first thoughts were of his father.  He talked a lot about the influences his dad, Randy Phillips, who passed away in 2013,had on his life. 

“I saw him fighting cancer and he would be over there on the side of the fence slumped over trying to stand up,” Phillips said. “But he would be out there with me, and he would be running with me and I guess that image would stick in my head.”

His dad knew he received a walk-on spot before dying.

Chairs, a junior from Harvey, Louisiana, played at St. Augustine high school with stars like LSU running back Leonard Fournette. He talked about how ever since he got to MSU his goal was to get that scholarship. He mentioned a conversation he had with former walk-on to scholarship player, Ben Beckwith, who ended up starting for MSU.

“I used to chill with Ben Beckwith a lot,” said Chairs. “He told me you keep going, and you could be next.”

Monday night he was called down in front of the team and saw his goal had been achieved.  He talked about the moment he told his mother, saying he faced timed her so he could see her face when he told her. 

“She busted out crying, she was excited for me, even my dad and little sister were excited for me,” Chairs said. “It was a great feeling, it gave me chills.”

Chairs and Josiah play under new defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon, who is also the linebackers coach. Sirmon spoke highly of his players.

“Just talk about good people,” Sirmon said. “When you see people do things the right way and you see people rewarded for that, I think that is really fulfilling not just as a position coach but just in general in life.”