NU pair hitting the heights

In the midst of a pleasant conversation with Northwestern junior safeties Brendan Smith and Brad Phillips, a reporter suddenly finds himself at a compassion crossroads.

There's an analogy he'd like to trot out, but doesn't quite know how to broach the topic gently with Phillips.

You see, one of the enduring images of the Wildcats' 2007 season came in their final game.

On a rollout with a pass-run option, Illinois quarterback Juice Williams opted to trample Phillips in a mano-a-mano meeting at the goal line to score one of the Illini's many touchdowns that afternoon.

Not long after getting knocked down, Phillips left the game with a concussion. But, uh, how to bring this up in a friendly chat -

Smith winds up smoothing the way. The third-year starter, who's as good at reading keys off the field as on, turns to Phillips and declares in his Massachusetts accent:

"He's trying to find, like, the nicest way to say this."

Phillips understands.

"That was me," he says with a smile. "They show the highlight on ESPN all the time."

But here's the reason to dredge up the memory:

While that lowlight might be last year's symbol for Phillips and the lackluster Northwestern defense, Phillips also owns the starring role in this year's definitive highlight for a Wildcats defense that ranks 13th nationally in points allowed (12.4 per game).

With Iowa leading 17-14 in the fourth quarter Sept. 27 and on the march for another score, Phillips roared up from his safety spot, knocked out running back Shonn Greene with a vicious hit and forced a fumble that led to NU's winning score.

After the game, Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald suggested Phillips' play reminded him of former Iowa safety Bob Sanders. You know, the same Bob Sanders that won the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award last season.

If Phillips can get anything close to a shot like that Saturday on Michigan State's Javon Ringer, the nation's No. 2 rusher, the Wildcats' bid to remain undefeated will be that much stronger.

At the minimum, NU's second- and fourth-leading tacklers (Phillips owns 38 stops, while Smith has 34) have huge responsibilities in the plan to slow Ringer.

By the way, how did the 6-foot-4, 210-pound Phillips switch from being a nail into a hammer in just 10 months' time?

"I can say that he's worked his (butt) off to improve his tackling," Smith said. "Staying after during (Camp) Kenosha to do tackling drills. Anything he could do to make himself better, he's done it."

Phillips' self-improvement project started shortly after the 2007 season ended, when he met with Fitzgerald and NU secondary coach Jerry Brown.

"I watched every game last year, every missed tackle I had and looked at what I had to fix," Phillips said. "It was angles, it was wrapping up and it was my feet.

"So far, it's working. I just need to keep doing the same things in practice."

While Phillips was working his way up from an unfulfilling season, Smith was fighting to get back to his old form.

An honorable mention all-Big Ten pick in 2006, Smith tore the labrum in his right shoulder prior to the 2007 season.

He battled through three games with a useless right arm before realizing he needed surgery and a redshirt year.

He made a big splash in his first game back when he returned an interception for a crucial score in the opener against Syracuse.

Smith and Phillips both have benefited from help provided by Smith's older brother, Sean.

A standout safety at Division II Bentley (Mass.) College who graduated in 2007, Sean has moved into Brendan's apartment to help them (and others) train.

During the summer, they stayed after the team's 7-on-7 passing sessions. Sean would throw to Brendan, while Phillips would pursue Brendan and work on his tackling fundamentals.

Sean, who does his brother's laundry and cooks his food in exchange for free rent, also reshaped the safeties' eating habits.

Brendan focuses on proteins and avoids carbohydrates at almost all costs.

"I only allow myself to have pizza once a month and ice cream once a month," he lamented.

Phillips followed the same plan until midway through September, when the team's nutritionist ordered him to start eating whatever he wanted.

"I've cramped in a few games this year," Phillips said. "Well, every game. And she thought it was because I wasn't getting enough starches and carbs."

It certainly wasn't because he hasn't been getting enough big hits in his diet.

"I don't know who that guy was," Greene said after Northwestern beat Iowa, "but he hit me pretty good."