16 games/14 starts
Enters the 2007 season competing to hold his starting QB job he earned for the final 2 regular season games in 2006…During his rookie campaign in 2006, was 1 of 5 QBs in the 2006 class to start games, joining Vince Young in Tennessee, Matt Leinart in Arizona, Jay Cutler in Denver and Bruce Gradkowski in Tampa Bay…Ranked 2nd in completion percentage among his rookie classmates at 58.0%, trailing only Cutler’s 59.1%....Joined Young and Leinart as the only 3 rookie QBs to throw and rush for TDs on the season…Ran for a TD and threw for a pair of TDs in 2006...Started 1st career game at Green Bay (12/21) on an NFL Network Thursday Night Football game…Will have a wealth of experience in the Vikings coaching staff to tutor him between Brad Childress, Darrell Bevell and Kevin Rogers...Was the 5th QB selected in the 2006 NFL Draft...Only the 2nd player ever drafted from Alabama State by the Vikings...Former ASU head coach, Charles Coe, is WRs coach for the Oakland Raiders and will visit the Metrodome on 11/18/07.
• Has an 8-4 mark in his 12 starts in 2007 with wins in the opener vs. Atlanta (9/9), at Chicago (10/14), vs. San Diego (11/4), vs. Oakland (11/18), at NY Giants (11/25), vs. Detroit (12/2), at San Francisco (12/9) and vs. Chicago (12/17). • Of his 4 losses on the season, 2 came in overtime games, including game at Detroit (9/16) he did not finish after being forced from the game with a groin injury.• Battled through injuries in 2007 that kept him sidelined for 4 games, fighting through groin injury, broken finger and a concussion.• Ran for 3 TDs on the season, leading all NFC QBs and tied for 2nd-best in the NFL behind Miami’s Cleo Lemon (4), matching the 3 of Cleveland’s Derek Anderson, Oakland’s Daunte Culpepper and Tennessee’s Vince Young. • Threw 60-yard TD passes to Adrian Peterson (vs. Atlanta), Troy Williamson (at Chicago) and Sidney Rice (at NY Giants) during the season. • Matched an NFL record by running for a pair of 2-point conversions at Denver (12/30) as he rallied the team to tie the game and force overtime with a furious 4th quarter comeback. • During the Vikings’ 5-game winning streak he went 79-of-112 (70.5%) for 916 yards. • Ran for career-high 2 TDs and threw a TD in NBC Sunday Night Football game vs. Washington (12/23). • Threw the longest pass of his career, a 71-yarder, to Robert Ferguson vs. Chicago (12/17). • Won his 1st career start on Monday Night Football by helping engineer a comeback from a 10-point 1st-half deficit to claim a 20-13 win over the Bears. • Had his 1st career game with no sacks and no interceptions in win at San Francisco (12/9). • Went 18-of-24 for 204 yards and his career-high 2 TD passes vs. Detroit (12/2) while rushing 5 times for 20 yards and posting his 2nd straight passer rating of 100+ with a 110.4 mark. • Threw his 3rd TD pass of 60+ yards and had the best passer rating of his career, 139.2, @ NY Giants (11/25).
2007 Has an 8-4 mark in his 12 starts in 2007 with wins in the opener vs. Atlanta (9/9), at Chicago (10/14), vs. San Diego (11/4), vs. Oakland (11/18), at NY Giants (11/25), vs. Detroit (12/2), at San Francisco (12/9) and vs. Chicago (12/17)…Of his 4 losses on the season, 2 came in overtime games, including game at Detroit (9/16) he did not finish after being forced from the game with a groin injury…Battled through injuries in 2007 that kept him sidelined for 4 games, fighting through groin injury, broken finger and a concussion…Ran for 3 TDs on the season, leading all NFC QBs and tied for 2nd-best in the NFL behind Miami’s Cleo Lemon (4), matching the 3 of Cleveland’s Derek Anderson, Oakland’s Daunte Culpepper and Tennessee’s Vince Young…Threw 60-yard TD passes to Adrian Peterson (vs. Atlanta), Troy Williamson (at Chicago) and Sidney Rice (at NY Giants) during the season…Matched an NFL record by running for a pair of 2-point conversions at Denver (12/30) as he rallied the team to tie the game and force overtime with a furious 4th quarter comeback…During the Vikings’ 5-game winning streak he went 79-of-112 (70.5%) for 916 yards…Ran for career-high 2 TDs and threw a TD in NBC Sunday Night Football game vs. Washington (12/23)…Threw the longest pass of his career, a 71-yarder, to Robert Ferguson vs. Chicago (12/17)…Won his 1st career start on Monday Night Football by helping engineer a comeback from a 10-point 1st-half deficit to claim a 20-13 win over the Bears…Had his 1st career game with no sacks and no interceptions in win at San Francisco (12/9)…Went 18-of-24 for 204 yards and his career-high 2 TD passes vs. Detroit (12/2) while rushing 5 times for 20 yards and posting his 2nd straight passer rating of 100+ with a 110.4 mark…Threw his 3rd TD pass of 60+ yards and had the best passer rating of his career, 139.2, @ NY Giants (11/25).
Left school ranked 7th in Southwestern Athletic Conference history with 67 TD passes despite playing only 3 seasons in the league and ranks 9th in SWAC history with 7,839 yards...Ended ASU career ranked 2nd in TD passes and passing yards...Accounted for 79 career TDs (68 pass, 11 rush)...Threw a TD pass in final 16 straight games and in 19 of his final 20 college games...Posted 6 career 300-yard passing games...Competed with Jacksonville Jaguars 1st-round WR draft choice Matt Jones for time at QB when both played for Arkansas before transferring to ASU…Earned 2nd-Team All-SWAChonors as a senior…Was tabbed as the SWAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year...ASU’s captain and offensive MVP during senior year...Threw for 2,941 yards, the 3rdmost in ASU history...Gained 3,226 yards of offense (2,941 passing/285 rushing), the 3rd-most in school history...Threw 3+ TD passes in 7 of 11 games on the season and threw a TD in all 11 games…During junior season he guided the Hornets to SWAC title and a 10-2 mark, becoming only the 2nd QB in school history to lead a team to 10 wins...Named MVP of SWAC Championship VI and the Detroit Football Classic as a junior in 2004...In his ASU debut in 2003, led team to an 8-5 record, the SWAC Eastern Division title and a berth in SWAC Championship V...Started all 13 games and posted career-best 444 yards rushing and 5 TDs…In 2002 he saw time in 8 games for the Razorbacks in his final season with the team...Started 1st career collegiate game at Auburn...Threw 1st career TD pass vs. South Florida…As a freshman in 2001, he played in 3 games for the Razorbacks before shoulder injury sidelined him...Granted medical redshirt for season...Made college football debut against UNLV in 2001 season opener.2005 Earned 2nd-Team All-SWAC honors...Tabbed as the SWAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year...ASU’s captain and offensive MVP...Threw for 2,941 yards, the 3rd-most in ASU history...Gained 3,226 yards of offense (2,941 passing/285 rushing), the 3rd-most in school history...Threw 3+ TD passes in 7 of 11 games on the season and threw a TD in all 11 games...Averaged 293.2 yards of total offense per game, ranking 9th in Division I-AA....Hornets were off to a 6-1 start to the season before falling to 6-5, losing the final 4 games by a combined 14 points. 2004 Guided Hornets to SWAC title and a 10-2 mark, becoming only the 2nd QB in school history to lead a team to 10 wins...Named MVP of SWAC Championship VI and the Detroit Football Classic...Avenged a 2003 loss to Southern in SWAC title game with a 40-35 win, the 5th time on the season scoring 40+ points...Win over Southern also got revenge for a 42-41 loss in the 4th game of the season...Ranked 3rd in school history with 2,556 passing yards and 4th with 20 TD passes. 2003 In his ASU debut, led team to an 8-5 record, the SWAC Eastern Division title and a berth in SWAC Championship V...Started all 13 games and posted career-best 444 yards rushing and 5 TDs...Guided team to 48+ points in 4 games during the season...Threw for career-high 361 yards against Grambling. 2002 Saw time in 8 games for the Razorbacks in his final season with the team...Started 1st career collegiate game at Auburn...Threw 1st career TD pass vs. South Florida. 2001 Played in 3 games before shoulder injury sidelined him...Granted medical redshirt for season...Made college football debut against UNLV in season opener.
Majored in psychology...Joined teammates during the 2006 Holiday season as part of Dick’s Sporting Goods “Shop With a Viking” event, helping children from the Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities spend gift cards and hosted a pizza party afterward...Taught kids football as part of the Vikings Junior Player Development camp in St. Paul in summer 2006...Has career aspirations to coach or work with children to give back to the coaches who helped mentor him throughout his youth...Hosted barbecues during offseason workouts to promote team building entering the 2007 season…Name is pronounced TAHvah-ris...Attended same high school, Sidney Lanier High in Montgomery, AL, as Packers legend Bart Starr.