Frerotte replaces Jackson at QB

Two days after giving strong indications that he might make a quarterback change, Brad Childress made it official today.

The Vikings coach announced veteran Gus Frerotte would replace Tarvaris Jackson for Sunday’s game against Carolina at the Metrodome. Childress said Frerotte would be the starter for the remainder of the season.

Frerotte, who played for the Vikings in 2003 and 2004 before joining the Miami Dolphins, said he was informed of the change this morning.

“Nothing shocks me,” said Frerotte, who started three games for the St. Louis Rams last season. “You don’t know whether it’s going to be this situation or an injury. ... You don’t ever say to yourself that it’s not going to happen because you’re always ready so you always prepare like you’re going to be the starter. That’s how I go about the week.”

Childress’ decision comes after Jackson struggled in the Vikings’ opening two losses to Green Bay and Indianapolis. Jackson, who went 8-4 as a first-year starter in 2007 but had three more interceptions than touchdown passes (12-9), has completed 30 of 59 passes this season for 308 yards with one touchdown and one interception. His 50.8 completion percentage and 64.8 passer rating are both subpar and he ranks near the bottom of the NFL in several statistical areas.

“I know that full well one position is not responsible and that everyone needs to step up,” Childress said. “But I’m just not seeing right now the aggressiveness from Tarvaris that I saw throughout the offseason, training camp, the two preseason games that he played in. Part of it might be experience. I know Gus will give us that and I know his approach will also lend itself to that.”

The coaching staff raved about Jackson’s progress during the offseason and into training camp. But he suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee in the second preseason game against Baltimore and did not play again until the Vikings’ 24-19 loss at Green Bay in the regular-season opener.

“It does not need to be a death knell for Tarvaris Jackson,” Childress said. “There are many quarterbacks in this league that have experienced bumps in the road, as far as the experience factor and while I know he doesn’t like it - I’d worry about him if he did like it - I know he’ll make the most of it. It’s imperative that he understands entering this next phase that this is huge, too.

“Because you could be two snaps away [from playing], you could be two series away, you could two games away, you could be two months away. We talked in the offseason about 60 quarterbacks playing in this league. None of us have a crystal ball, you never knows how it plays itself out. He needs to be ready and have his mind right.”

Frerotte, 37, has played for seven teams in his career but hasn’t been in a West Coast offense since his two years with Denver in 2000 and 2001. Frerotte started seven games during that time.