MANSFIELD — It’s the most demanding position in all of sports and Mansfield Senior has entrusted it to a 14-year-old.

But David Phillips III isn’t a typical freshman.

The son and namesake of first-year Senior High coach David Phillips Jr., the younger Phillips is the starting quarterback for the Tygers (0-2). He has completed 20-of-51 passes for 325 yards in his brief varsity career.

He threw his first career touchdown pass in last week’s 35-7 loss to Tiffin Columbian, an 8-yarder to Davion Mack late in the third quarter. He also threw his first career interception late in the first half — much to his father’s chagrin.

“We talk about it all the time in practice,” the elder Phillips said. “It’s not always about making a great play. Sometimes it’s about making a smart play and living to play another down.

“When you’re dealing with a freshman, he is going to make freshman plays. It comes with it.”

Senior High struggled early against the Tornadoes, but the offense found its footing in the second half. Phillips orchestrated the third-quarter scoring drive and marched the Tygers to the Tiffin Columbian 1-yard line in the fourth quarter before running back Braylon Fletcher was thrown for a 2-yard loss on fourth-and-goal.

“I’m beginning to feel comfortable,” the younger Phillips said. “It starting to feel like last year, it’s just everybody is way bigger and faster.”

Prodigies

With Phillips triggering the offense, Senior High’s heralded freshman class never lost a football game in middle school. Several of those players saw significant playing time Friday night at Arlin Field.

“These kids are 14 years old. They just had their eighth-grade graduation not even three months ago,” Coach Phillips said. “They’ll learn, but it’s going to take some time.”

Reinforcements

Mack, a standout basketball player, returned to the football field for the first time since middle school. Fellow senior Andrew Brooks Jr., another basketball standout who is playing football for the first time since his freshman year, caught six passes for 84 yards last week.

“It’s nice to have athletic guys like Davion and Andrew to throw to,” the younger Phillips said. “They make my job a lot easier. I’ve just got to get the ball in their hands and let them make plays in space.”

The rangy Mack proved to be a problem for the Tornadoes. In addition to his touchdown reception, he had another possible scoring pass broken up in the first half.

“They haven’t played football for a while, but we need them,” Coach Phillips said. “They are long and they can stretch the field for us.”

Bright Future

It’s no secret the Tygers have struggled the past two years. Senior High was 1-9 in 2024 and again in 2025 after a remarkable run that began with 2019’s state runner-up finish.

From 2019 to 2023, the Tygers were a combined 45-17 with at least one postseason victory every year.

Senior High is 2-20 since then.

With a freshman quarterback leading the charge, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“In our first two games we’ve made some minor mistakes and we keep making them,” the younger Phillips said. “If we get those things fixed in practice we’re going to win some games this year.”