Monday Morning Quarterback

A little bit of this and a little bit of that …

10. The Chanticleers could have packed it in after losing to Liberty, which sealed the school’s first losing season and set the Flames in great position to win the Big South. But the Chants responded with what Jerome Simpson called ``a great week’’ of practice and played their most disciplined game of the season against Gardner-Webb. CCU had just one penalty for five yards. A welcomed change for the Chants who average 58 yards in penalties per game this season.

9. Speaking of Simpson he is going out with a bang, six touchdowns in three games to bring him within seven scores of Jerry Rice (50). Not bad company. I think some NFL team is going to be very happy taking him in the middle rounds. I agreed with a fellow member of the press who compares his skills to former Michigan State star Charles Rogers. Rogers was the No. 2 pick in the 2003 draft. He was thought to be a Pro Bowl-talent before injuries and attitude derailed his career.

8. Simpson has 43 touchdowns in his career -- I errantly gave that to him earlier this week, how prophetic. If Simpson gets two more at Charleston Southern -- where he no doubt has some unfinished business -- he’ll have averaged a touchdown per game in his career, which is pretty special.

7. Maybe his height will hurt him, but Mike Tolbert deserves a look from an NFL team. He is averaging 10 yards a carry in conference season.

6. Who knows if Tyler Thigpen will be the next Tony Romo or if he is out of the NFL in a few years, quarterback is such a difficult position to project. But I think the Vikings regret letting him go at this point. Journeyman Brooks Bollinger started for an injured Tarvaris Jackson on Sunday for the Vikes, but was held to 16-of-26 passing for 176 yards and a pick. He only had seven passing yards in the first half. And Jackson has not been good.

5. Speaking of Thigpen, Brodie Croyle, who is No. 2 on the Kansas City Chiefs depth chart above Thigpen, replaced a shaken up and shaky Damon Huard on Saturday. Croyle completed 17-of-30 passes for 162 yards and an interception. Croyle could be the starter going forward and if that experiment fails might Thigpen see time late this season? Unlikely but one would figure he will get a long look next training camp.

4. The Chanticleer defense, which has been embattled much of the season, came up with its finest performance of the year, limiting a red-hot Gardner-Webb offense to 14 points, and holding the Bulldogs to 128 yards on the ground.

3. It was pretty cool that CCU coach David Bennett allowed senior Ren McKinnon to take the first snap Saturday. By all accounts McKinnon is a great guy and if he had stayed healthy this season may very well have pushed for the starting quarterback job after a solid preseason.

2. If I were in charge of student seating, the CCU students would be placed directly behind the visitor’s bench next season. It works to great effect at Liberty and James Madison, and next to the fervent CCU band -- which earned a warning Saturday for excessive song Saturday-- could give the Chants a greater edge on their home field.

1. The Chants are now the biggest Gardner-Webb fans in the Big South, if the Bulldogs can upset Liberty on Saturday -- which looks highly improbable -- the Chants would take a share of the conference title for a fourth straight season.