Tyler Thigpen: Difference between revisions
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Thigpen attended [[Fairfield Central High School]] in [[Winnsboro, South Carolina]] and became an All-South Carolina selection as a senior [[running back]].<ref name="Tyler Thigpen biography"/> He elected to go to [[Coastal Carolina University]] in [[Conway, South Carolina]], and majored in sports management.<ref name="Tyler Thigpen biography"/> |
Thigpen attended [[Fairfield Central High School]] in [[Winnsboro, South Carolina]] and became an All-South Carolina selection as a senior [[running back]].<ref name="Tyler Thigpen biography"/> He elected to go to [[Coastal Carolina University]] in [[Conway, South Carolina]], and majored in sports management.<ref name="Tyler Thigpen biography"/> |
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Thigpen was the first quarterback in Coastal Carolina history, which began its football program in 2003.<ref name="StarTrib">{{cite web|title=Vikings sign quarterback Thigpen|url=http://www.startribune.com/510/story/1193044.html|date=[[2007-05-18]]|publisher=''[[Star Tribune]]''|accessdate=2007-05-19}}</ref> The team competes in the [[Big South Conference]] of the [[NCAA Football Championship Subdivision#Football_Championship Subdivision|NCAA Football Championship Subdivision]] Thigpen had a 30-8 record in four seasons (41 games, 39 starts)<ref name="Chiefs have own"/><ref name="Tyler Thigpen biography"/> and was named [[Big South Conference]] player of the year in 2007, when he completed 217 of 339 passes for 3,296 yards and 29 touchdowns, and carried 113 times for 656 yards and five touchdowns.<ref name="StarTrib" /> |
Thigpen was the first quarterback in Coastal Carolina history, which began its football program in 2003.<ref name="StarTrib">{{cite web|title=Vikings sign quarterback Thigpen|url=http://www.startribune.com/510/story/1193044.html|date=[[2007-05-18]]|publisher=''[[Star Tribune]]''|accessdate=2007-05-19}}</ref> The team competes in the [[Big South Conference]] of the [[NCAA Football Championship Subdivision#Football_Championship Subdivision|NCAA Football Championship Subdivision]]. Thigpen had a 30-8 record in four seasons (41 games, 39 starts)<ref name="Chiefs have own"/><ref name="Tyler Thigpen biography"/> and was named [[Big South Conference]] player of the year in 2007, when he completed 217 of 339 passes for 3,296 yards and 29 touchdowns, and carried 113 times for 656 yards and five touchdowns.<ref name="StarTrib" /> |
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He played alongside wide receiver [[Jerome Simpson]], now with the [[Cincinnati Bengals]], and running back [[Mike Tolbert]], now with the [[San Diego Chargers]], to help lead the young Chanticleers program to major victories against #1 [[James Madison University|James Madison]] in [[2005]] and # 3 [[Furman University|Furman]] in [[2006]]. He led the Chanticleers to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs and a Big South Conference championship.<ref name="Tyler Thigpen biography"/> Thigpen holds the single-season and career passing records in every major statistical category at Coastal Carolina.<ref>{{cite web| title= Tyler Thigpen Biography| url=http://www.goccusports.com/football/?player=828 |publisher= Coastal Carolina University Athletics | accessdate= 2007-05-04}}</ref> |
He played alongside wide receiver [[Jerome Simpson]], now with the [[Cincinnati Bengals]], and running back [[Mike Tolbert]], now with the [[San Diego Chargers]], to help lead the young Chanticleers program to major victories against #1 [[James Madison University|James Madison]] in [[2005]] and # 3 [[Furman University|Furman]] in [[2006]]. He led the Chanticleers to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs and a Big South Conference championship.<ref name="Tyler Thigpen biography"/> Thigpen holds the single-season and career passing records in every major statistical category at Coastal Carolina.<ref>{{cite web| title= Tyler Thigpen Biography| url=http://www.goccusports.com/football/?player=828 |publisher= Coastal Carolina University Athletics | accessdate= 2007-05-04}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 02:22, 17 November 2008
 Tyler Thigpen during the Chiefs 2008 Training Camp. | |||||||
| Kansas City Chiefs | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career information | |||||||
| College: | Coastal Carolina | ||||||
| NFL draft: | 2007 / Round: 7 / Pick: 217 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
| |||||||
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||
| Roster status: | Active | ||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
| *Big South Conference player of the year (2007) | |||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of Week 10, 2008 | |||||||
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Tyler Beckham Thigpen (born April 14, 1984 in Winnsboro, South Carolina) is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. Thigpen was drafted out of Coastal Carolina University in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft (217th overall) by the Minnesota Vikings. In 2008, Thigpen became the Chiefs' starting quarterback after injuries to Damon Huard and Brodie Croyle.[1]
Early years and collegiate career
Thigpen attended Fairfield Central High School in Winnsboro, South Carolina and became an All-South Carolina selection as a senior running back.[2] He elected to go to Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina, and majored in sports management.[2]
Thigpen was the first quarterback in Coastal Carolina history, which began its football program in 2003.[3] The team competes in the Big South Conference of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision. Thigpen had a 30-8 record in four seasons (41 games, 39 starts)[4][2] and was named Big South Conference player of the year in 2007, when he completed 217 of 339 passes for 3,296 yards and 29 touchdowns, and carried 113 times for 656 yards and five touchdowns.[3]
He played alongside wide receiver Jerome Simpson, now with the Cincinnati Bengals, and running back Mike Tolbert, now with the San Diego Chargers, to help lead the young Chanticleers program to major victories against #1 James Madison in 2005 and # 3 Furman in 2006. He led the Chanticleers to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs and a Big South Conference championship.[2] Thigpen holds the single-season and career passing records in every major statistical category at Coastal Carolina.[5]
NFL career
2007 season
Tyler Thigpen was selected in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Vikings, becoming the first player in Coastal Carolina and Big South Conference history to be drafted in the NFL.[6][2] On May 18, 2007, Thigpen became the first of eight Vikings drafted in 2007 to sign a contract, agreeing to a four-year deal.[3][2] Thigpen then competed with Brooks Bollinger, Tarvaris Jackson, and Drew Henson for a quarterback roster spot for the 2007 NFL season.[3] The Vikings released Thigpen on September 1, 2007 thinking they could add him on their practice squad after passing waivers but he was signed by the Chiefs the following day.[2]
Thigpen made his professional debut replacing an injured Damon Huard versus the San Diego Chargers on December 12, 2007. He finished the game 2-for-6 for 41 yards and an interception.[4] He tore his MCL in practice on that week and was placed on injured reserve, ending his season.[2]
2008 season
Prior to the 2008 season, Thigpen impressed Chiefs coaches enough to make the team think he could challenge for, and even win, the team's starting job against the incumbent Brodie Croyle.[7]
Thigpen was listed on the Chiefs' roster in 2008 and made his season debut on September 14 against the Oakland Raiders, when Huard left with "mild head trauma."[8][9] Thigpen hit 14 of 33 passes for 151 yards.[9] Thigpen made his first NFL start on September 21, 2008 against the Atlanta Falcons.[10] Thigpen struggled in his first NFL start, finishing 14-for-36 and passing for 128 yards while throwing 3 interceptions in the 14–38 loss.[11] The Chiefs trailed the Falcons 24–0 until Thigpen threw a touchdown pass to WR Dwayne Bowe just before halftime.[11] Thigpen's third interception was returned for a touchdown with just over a minute remaining the in the game.[11] In the week prior to the game, Chiefs coach Herman Edwards insisted he would substitute Huard into the game if Thigpen struggled.[11] Edwards contemplated it during the game, but decided against it reasoning that Thigpen "put some points on the board."[11] Following the game, asked if Thigpen would keep the starting job, Edwards said, "We'll see."[11]
The following week, Huard was retained as the Chiefs' starting quarterback.[12] However, Thigpen was again awarded the starting position after quarterbacks Brodie Croyle and Huard were placed on injured reserve, ending both of their seasons.[13][14]
I think you adjust to what your players do well... You start out with a system but the system has to be adjusted to the players you have. Tyler feels very comfortable in what he’s doing and I think he has given us the best opportunity to move the ball, get first downs and score. We’re rolling that way and we’re not turning back.[14]
— Herman Edwards, head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs.
With the absence of RB Larry Johnson, the central part of the Chiefs' offense in years past, offensive coordinator Chan Gailey adjusted the offense to mimic the spread formation run by Thigpen at Coastal Carolina.[14]
In Thigpen's second career start, he passed for 280 yards with a 69.4% completion rate, with two touchdowns and no interceptions against the New York Jets, nearly leading the Chiefs to win over the heavily-favored Jets.[15]
Thigpen scored his first receiving touchdown the following week versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.[16] The 37-yard pass was from wide receiver Mark Bradley in a Wildcat formation.[16] Thigpen also passed for 164 yards, a touchdown, no interceptions, and a 56.0% completion rate in the 30-27 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.[16] Thigpen became only the fifth player in Chiefs' history–and the first quarterback–to throw a touchdown pass and also score touchdowns by running and receiving.[16] In the game, the Chiefs led 24–3 with a little more than 2 minutes to go in the second quarter and seemed headed for just their second victory in more than a calendar year.[16] The Buccaneers rallied back and won the game in overtime with 24 unanswered points.[16]
Thigpen continued his impressive play the following week in the Chiefs' 20–19 loss to the San Diego Chargers, completing 27-of-41 passes for 266 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. That gave him six touchdown passes and no turnovers in his last three games.
After throwing four interceptions against the Falcons and appearing lucky to avoid throwing twice that many, Thigpen competed 124 straight passes without an interception through Week 11.[14] Whether or not Thigpen develops into the franchise quarterback the Chiefs were counting on Croyle to become, barring injury his presence in the Chiefs' revamped offense will remain through the 2008 season.[14]
References
- ^ "Tyler Thigpen". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved 2008-11-10.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Tyler Thigpen biography". Kansas City Chiefs official website. Retrieved 2008-11-14.
- ^ a b c d "Vikings sign quarterback Thigpen". Star Tribune. 2007-05-18. Retrieved 2007-05-19.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b "Chiefs have own QB problems as they play host to Oakland". Associated Press. NFL.com. 2008-09-15. Retrieved 2008-11-14.
- ^ "Tyler Thigpen Biography". Coastal Carolina University Athletics. Retrieved 2007-05-04.
- ^ "Football's Thigpen to Be Featured on ESPN". Coastal Carolina University Athletics. Retrieved 2007-05-19.
- ^ Schefter, Adam (2008-05-06). "Chiefs, Panthers could turn to unheralded QBs". NFL.com. Retrieved 2008-11-14.
- ^ "Chiefs' Huard replaced by Thigpen after injury". Associated Press. 2008-09-14. Retrieved 2008-09-14.
- ^ a b "Despite firing reports, Kiffin, McFadden lead Raiders over Chiefs". Associated Press. ESPN. 2008-09-14. Retrieved 2008-11-14.
- ^ "Chiefs QB Thigpen to start vs. Falcons". Associated Press. 2008-09-17. Retrieved 2008-09-17.
- ^ a b c d e f "Turner scores three TDs as Falcons handle listless Chiefs". Associated Press. ESPN. 2008-09-21. Retrieved 2008-11-14.
- ^ "Huard will start at quarterback Sunday for Kansas City". Associated Press. NFL.com. 2008-09-22. Retrieved 2008-11-14.
- ^ Associated Press (2008-10-19). "Chiefs QB Croyle sprains right knee, done for the season". ESPN. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
- ^ a b c d e Rand, Jonathan (2008-11-13). "Breaking the Mold". Kansas City Chiefs official website. Retrieved 2008-11-14.
- ^ "Favre connects with Coles in final minute to lift Jets to win". Associated Press. ESPN. 2008-10-26. Retrieved 2008-11-14.
- ^ a b c d e f "Bucs overcome four turnovers, 21-point deficit en route to OT win". Associated Press. ESPN. 2008-11-02. Retrieved 2008-11-14.