The ACU football program and head coach Keith Patterson announced the addition of Dan Phillips to the staff as defensive line coach in February of 2022. Phillips brings nearly three decades of coaching experience and comes to the Big Country after spending the previous two seasons at the University of Hawaii. 
 
“I’m very excited for the opportunity to come be a part of the ACU football family and the Abilene community,” Phillips said. “The values and principles on which the university builds its mission statement sets ACU apart from other schools, and the Christian relationships we will build with one another will last a lifetime.” 
 
Prior to his time on the islands, Phillips coached defensive ends and served as the special teams coordinator at McKinney North High School, helping the Bulldogs to a Bi-District Championship in 2019. He spent the previous five seasons at Arizona State as a senior analyst for special teams and defense, and the Sun Devils turned in a Pac-12 South division championship, two bowl victories, and back-to-back 10-win seasons during his tenure. 
 
From 2008-12, Phillips served in various roles, including Athletics Director, head football coach, special teams coordinator, and defensive coordinator at two Oklahoma high schools. He coached Broken Arrow High School to the state quarterfinals in 2009 and got Tulsa Central High School to the postseason in 2012 while developing multiple FBS-level players. 
 
Phillips also has had stops at Rice University, the University of Tulsa, and West Virginia University, where he served as a graduate assistant and coached linebackers. Phillips is a 1994 graduate of Central Oklahoma, receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in Health and Physical Education while minoring in General Science/Biology.