Clausen to start vs. Air Force

[johnnd05]

It's already been mentioned a couple of times, but I wanted to make sure everyone knew, and obviously it deserves its own thread anyway ...

Clausen to start vs. Air Force

Per the <a href="http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071107/SPORTS0302/71107038" target="_blank">Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette</a>:
<blockquote> Freshman <strong>Jimmy Clausen</strong> will be Notre Dame’s starting quarterback for Saturday’s game against Air Force, Notre Dame football media relations director Brian Hardin said Wednesday evening.

Irish coach <strong>Charlie Weis</strong> was not available for comment and unlike in previous weeks did not speak after Wednesday’s practice.

...

“Whoever plays the best, that’s what you look for,” Weis said Tuesday when asked what he was looking for. “It really is not that difficult. Sometimes you make it more difficult than it is, just whoever plays the best.”

This, though, is likely a long-haul decision as Weis said Tuesday he would take into account who would be the best quarterback for his team through the final three games and beyond.</blockquote>
Anyone with questions about Clausen's health might be interested to know that Michael Rothstein <a href="http://jgwebblogs.typepad.com/notre_dame/2007/11/practice-observ.html" target="_blank">reported</a> that Clausen "looked slower" than <strong>Evan Sharpley</strong> on Tuesday's practice, and had poorer "extension" on his legs. It's of course hard to know exactly what to make of something like this, though, and one imagines that he certainly wouldn't be starting if he weren't ready to go.

Weis is <a href="http://www.etruth.com/Know/StaffBlogs/ViewBlog.aspx?bID=321" target="_blank">expected</a> to speak to the media after Thursday's practice. We'll have more details as they become available.

 

[GoIrish41]

When Charlie made his comments about the starter being the guy down the stretch, I pretty much knew it was going to be JC.

 

[Steve]

good luck jimmy, i'm gonna wear my new #7 jersey for him. idc if it's green because matching their colors hasn't worked this year anyway.

 

[bluegold06]

I have been waiting for this. Finally. Good Luck Jimmy

 

[goldandblue]

Good, I'm glad Clausen is going to get the chance to play sat. Maybe he'll come out firing on all eight and look real good. I just hope the play calling is not screen after screen as we've seen this year.

 

[WeisWeisBaby]

I've been looking forward to this all year, I just hope that the first 20 plays Charlie calls are screens so that we can slow down their defense.

 

[GoIrish41]

First play ... go route to Tate. Time to show off the golden arm. Open the playbook and let JC show the world what all the hype is about.

 

[piyachi]

Well Jimmy has been our clear starter so I hope this means he is back at to at least 90%. He sure isn't going to be too mobile but I don't think AFA has much in the way of a pass rush, so lets hope that is a factor. I imagine we will see another heavy dose of Aldridge/Allen, since this is another team that even our O-line can get a push on.

I do think it's important to get these games for Clausen - not because of the outcome per se, but more to give him college-level games where we can get a consistent offense. Having only games where he is harassed constantly doesn't do as much for a QB as something like AFA/Duke where we know we can at least put some nice drives together.

 

[The Polish Irishman]

I just hope he has some zip on the ball...I believe this is one of the reasons we have sturggled this year at QB..Quinn could fire the ball..I have not seen that from JC or ES

 

[goldandblue]

This year has made me realize how nice it was to have Brady Quinn last year. Not only the offensive production but the fact that we knew who our guy was week in and week out.

 

[Timugen]

First play ... go route to Tate. Time to show off the golden arm. Open the playbook and let JC show the world what all the hype is about.

I really hope so. But I'm not holding my breath, because he has had the chance to do so (multiple times,) and what I saw fell short of bronze. Hopefully he wasn't 100% then and he is now....because if that isn't the case then we have problems.

 

[JeremyND07]

I really hope so. But I'm not holding my breath, because he has had the chance to do so (multiple times,) and what I saw fell short of bronze. Hopefully he wasn't 100% then and he is now....because if that isn't the case then we have problems.

I agree...I think JC should start but have NO idea why everyone is so excited about it! If I have to see one more game with 30 screen plays I am going to scream!!! Open it up a little and if JC cannot complete a long pass Crist cannot get here soon enough!!!!!!

 

[Newc]

First play ... go route to Tate. Time to show off the golden arm. Open the playbook and let JC show the world what all the hype is about.

I agree. Open the playbook up, spread the D and lets see what our golden boy can do. We've got nothing to lose here, its not like this game is going to make our season or anything. Play the youngsters and just let them play ball, no pressure, just go out, have some fun and show us the talent that you have.

 

[johnnd05]

I agree...I think JC should start but have NO idea why everyone is so excited about it! If I have to see one more game with 30 screen plays I am going to scream!!! Open it up a little and if JC cannot complete a long pass Crist cannot get here soon enough!!!!!!

:banghead2

 

[piyachi]

:banghead2

Hahahahahahaha, yes, exactly.

The kid has had ONE season of miserable play from everyone on the field and you want to replace him with a high school senior? One that - according to the sometimes-accurate recruiting services - is not quite as good at the same stage? Where do people get this stuff?!? Assuming Sharpley comes back next year it is likely that Dayne will be our third string while he works to adjust to the college game, and that is perfectly fine for his first year (probably a redshirt).

I agree that changing our QB is one of the smallest changes towards our offensive production this year, but I have to believe (as an optimist) that it will pay dividends for next season. As for opening up the playbook - everyone says this as if we have some treasure trove waiting to be discovered. It's pretty clear that our O-line really limits how much time we have for deep passing plays, and these are mostly young kids at skill positions in the offense that haven't had the time to know the wrinkles in the offense like Brady did. There isn't much more than what you have seen so far this season. So get used to it for this last stretch, because it's still about doing the fundamental things right before we can move on to the more complicated stuff.

 

[irish4ever]

I agree...I think JC should start but have NO idea why everyone is so excited about it! If I have to see one more game with 30 screen plays I am going to scream!!! Open it up a little and if JC cannot complete a long pass Crist cannot get here soon enough!!!!!!

Sorry, but Crist is NOT going be able to lead this team at QB next year. He's talented and appears to be a future stud QB, but he'll be way too raw as a freshman. It's either JC or Sharpley now thru next year, so pick 'em!

 

[GoIrish41]

So get used to it for this last stretch, because it's still about doing the fundamental things right before we can move on to the more complicated stuff.

Nothing complicated about a go route. One play at the beginning of the game. If its complete, JC's confidence takes a leap. If its not, oh well.

 

[piyachi]

Nothing complicated about a go route. One play at the beginning of the game. If its complete, JC's confidence takes a leap. If its not, oh well.

Haha sure, although since the last one was the product of 'draw it up in the dirt' I don't qualify that as opening up the playbook.

For what it's worth I agree with you about the idea, although I don't call the plays.

 

[johnnd05]

Nothing complicated about a go route. One play at the beginning of the game. If its complete, JC's confidence takes a leap. If its not, oh well.

Problem is, "oh well" in this case means that our offense now has to pick up ten yards on two plays ...

 

[patman1868]

Problem is, "oh well" in this case means that our offense now has to pick up ten yards on two plays ...

Yeah that is a good point with the way that the offense has been this year it is not a sure thing that they would get the ten yards in two plays. If ND does come out throwing I would rather see some mid-range routes that would hopefully be easy completions. Try to get clausen in a groove that way, the maybe try some shots downfield after he has completed few passes.

 

[johnnd05]

Yeah that is a good point with the way that the offense has been this year it is not a sure thing that they would get the ten yards in two plays. If ND does come out throwing I would rather see some mid-range routes that would hopefully be easy completions. Try to get clausen in a groove that way, the maybe try some shots downfield after he has completed few passes.

Exactly right. Throwing the ball, especially downfield, on first down is the sort of thing that has gotten this offense in trouble all year long.

 

[jonesman]

I would not throw the ball downfield on a slant or out route. I think it is much better if we continue to run those ultra successful screen passes that we have run 342 times for a grand total of 18 yards. The D never has a clue that the play is coming. They just happen to have 8 guys flowing to the RB on those plays completely by accident.
Sorry guys, I am just getting a bit fed up with some of Chuck's predictable play calling. I will be cheering as crazy this Saturday as every before, but I am getting less happy with the man who stands on the sideline.

 

[Timugen]

I would not throw the ball downfield on a slant or out route. I think it is much better if we continue to run those ultra successful screen passes that we have run 342 times for a grand total of 18 yards. The D never has a clue that the play is coming. They just happen to have 8 guys flowing to the RB on those plays completely by accident.
Sorry guys, I am just getting a bit fed up with some of Chuck's predictable play calling. I will be cheering as crazy this Saturday as every before, but I am getting less happy with the man who stands on the sideline.

I agree that the screens have gotten ridiculous, but the downfield throws by Clausen have not exactly been confidence-inspiring (or productive) this year. Most have been either poorly timed, underthrown (I'm still not impressed with his arm and I'm "hoping" he just hasn't been 100%,) or thrown way off the mark (5yds out of bounds and well behind the receiver.)

I just hate that our passing game has been one extreme or the other 90% of the time. If we want JC to have any success he needs to get the original JC (Carlson) one helluva lot more involved in the game, and he needs to do so early, not late in the 4th when we're trying to make up 3 scores.

 

[Junkhead]

Why not run Tate (or anyone else) on a "comeback" route. Basically use the go route, and 15 yard cushion, stop, turn, catch....move the chains. If they give Golden such a cushion, use it. That said, I'm glad to see Jimmy back, but I'm dreading the screen offense.

 

[Clausen2Kamara]

Thank you!! CW agrees with me. I am going to the game and I hope to see JC get some protection so I could actually judge how good of a QB he really is...

 

[IrishFan4Life]

good to hear, im glad he's healthy

 

[johnnd05]

From Ben Ford:

I have a feeling, based on what I saw in practice this week and Weis' comments that Jimmy Clausen was throwing the ball with a lot of zip, hat Notre Dame will throw downfield more than it has been in the past, and the potential is there to have some success in that area ...

He still doesn't think we'll win, though ...

 

[Epitome]

I thought he played well. The only receiver to consistently get open for him was grimes, who dropped half the passes thrown to him.

 

[Junkhead]

Clausen played pretty well, considering the pressure and dropped passes.

 

[Pinoy QB]

With our O-line problems I think on any given day even the best college Qb would suck.