Daily Pilot High School Football Player of the Week

In his final year at Costa Mesa High, Todd Davis has bounced back in a major way.

Gone are the nights opposing defenses take free shots at the quarterback as if he’s the tackling dummy. Davis isn’t hurting himself either.

The protection and the grades have been there for Davis to start every game for the Costa Mesa football team. The senior has showed his coaches, teammates and himself how much he’s grown up since he first arrived at the school as a sophomore.

In the first two years at Costa Mesa, Davis can count the number of touchdowns he threw on one finger.

The first year Davis was ineligible to play. The second year he started, but early injuries and at the end grades set him back.

There was a feeling last year Davis got before dropping back in the pocket that made it tough on him.

“I always got that nervous feeling right before a pass play,” Davis said. “This year, that’s not even there.”

Davis now just fires away with confidence and Costa Mesa is benefiting as it has an overall winning record for the first time in six years. For that, the Mustangs (5-3, 2-0 in the Orange Coast League) are ranked No. 10 in the CIF Southern Section Southern Division poll.

Davis was unconscious last week in the Mustangs’ 42-6 rout of Godinez in a league game. The quarterback who used to leave games feeling loopy was on a high for all the right reasons.

The 6-foot-4 Davis finished with five touchdowns and 301 yards through the air, career highs, and he scored on a two-yard run. The effort Davis recorded is the kind football fans in Costa Mesa see on TV watching someone like Tom Brady on Sunday.

Each of Davis’ touchdown passes came in the first half and he hit four players for scores. On one night, Davis almost matched the touchdown total he entered the game with last week.

Through seven games, Davis has thrown for 11 touchdowns and 1,165 yards, and only two interceptions. Coach Jeremy Osso said he’s isn’t sure if the five-touchdown performance is a school record.

For half a game, Osso can guarantee the five touchdowns are a school record.

The Mustangs aren’t known as a team to air it out, or score many points since Osso took over the program in 2006. Only one thing matters to Osso. Costa Mesa continues to win in league.

Dating back to the 2007 season, the Mustangs have won seven straight league games. The two-time defending league champions are on pace for a three-peat and back-to-back undefeated league championship seasons.

Davis contributed to last year’s outright league crown. This year, he’s more involved in the offense.

“My first year playing [varsity] was like a new experience,” said Davis, who transferred to Costa Mesa from Edison after his freshman season. “It’s like a big jump from freshmen ball at Edison. It was a little tough [adjusting]. Last year was really fast. Everything slowed down [this year]. I finally got it.

“I’m really comfortable passing the ball.”

Helping Davis feel secure is the offensive line.

Defenses aren’t knocking Davis around like last year. Davis can thank left tackle Andrew Albers, who hasn’t allowed a sack, left guard Justin Miller, center Travis Whitlock, right guard Nick Matamoros and right tackle Corbin Kay.

In the second game last year, Davis fractured a rib, followed up by sustaining a concussion in the next game. Davis said he suffered concussions in the past playing Pop Warner football.

The one last year was serious, forcing him to sit out a game.

“I didn’t even know where I was. I felt like I was under the influence,” Davis said. “My trainer kept telling me to say something like, ‘Grass is green and the sky is blue.’ I kept saying it backward.”

To Davis, the grass definitely looks greener and the sky bluer in his final year at Costa Mesa.