Quarterbacks

[johnnd05]

This thread is for news and views on the ND quarterbacks for the '07-08 season.

Who do YOU think will be starting?

From the ChiTrib ...

Notre Dame practice theme: Musical signal-callers
But Weis confident QB contenders are good enough to win

By Brian Hamilton
Tribune staff reporter

August 12, 2007

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Five Notre Dame quarterbacks each lined up under a center facing the north end zone, a fullback and a halfback behind them. But only one assumed a position that, these days, is a more potent eye-opener than a dozen Saturday morning espresso shots.

Demetrius Jones, the sophomore from Morgan Park, barked out signals, took snaps from starting center Joe Sullivan and handed off to presumed starting tailback Travis Thomas. Fellow quarterback contenders Evan Sharpley and Jimmy Clausen worked in groupings down the depth chart.

So was this it? As the morning sun cut through fog over the east side of Notre Dame Stadium, had the curtain been lifted on the 2007 starter?

"We've had different quarterbacks doing different things on different days," Irish coach Charlie Weis said afterward.

In other words, as far as practice-opening drills go, this was no telltale start.

A public practice Saturday offered few revelations about the Notre Dame quarterback derby -- in two of the potentially telling practice sessions, the three contenders each took the same number of snaps -- but in his first-week appraisal of the position, Weis sounded mildly relieved.

"I think we'll be good enough to win -- that's what I've learned," Weis said. "That's the biggest question mark the guy who's directly responsible for the position has to worry about. What I've learned is we'll be good enough to compete to win."

No players were available to speak after the workout, but Weis apparently hasn't deviated from a timetable he spoke of on media day, which called for equal time in the first week.

Indeed, Weis said all three contenders rotated through various responsibilities this week. Clausen, for example, exclusively ran the offense during 9-on-7 drills Saturday while Jones and Sharpley threw to receivers.

But Weis said those roles had shifted daily so he can assess each quarterback individually. And now Weis said he is "right at about the time where all these guys have given us an opportunity to start evaluating whether or not there's separation between them."

Not that the public evaluation hasn't started. Jones threw one pretty sideline fade pattern to David Grimes but badly overthrew receiver George West earlier. Sharpley zipped a downfield pass to tight end John Carlson but had the ball slip out of his hands on a later attempt.

Then there was Clausen, the heralded freshman, who didn't throw a deep ball during practice, a fact brought to Weis' attention afterward.

"Can he throw the ball deep?" Weis asked rhetorically. "I think we'll have to wait until Sept. 1 to find out."

Extra points

Speaking of uncertainty, Irish kickers made only 6 of 14 field-goal attempts at the end of practice. Weis said sophomore Nate Whitaker was "our most consistent guy" in the first week, but that sophomore Ryan Burkhart and freshman Brandon Walker "at different days have been right there, if not the best, tied for the best." ... Weis said the Irish have five tailbacks "and you can win with any of the five of them," which could suggest Thomas isn't etched in as the starter. ... Joe Brockington and Toryan Smith worked side-by-side at inside linebacker Saturday, an effort to create "position flexibility" in case incumbent starter Maurice Crum is out for any reason. ... Weis apparently won't hesitate to use some of the more promising freshmen on his roster. "There will be freshmen on the field in the first game, and it won't be in mop-up time, that I can tell you," Weis said. ... Among the attendees Saturday was Dayne Crist, the highly rated Class of 2008 quarterback from California who has committed to play for the Irish. After a chat with Weis during stretching, Crist observed from the field.

 

[johnnd05]

Fans get first look at 3 vying to be QB

By Michael Rothstein
The Journal Gazette

SOUTH BEND – Saturday’s open practice gave the public a rare look at what the three quarterbacks – junior Evan Sharpley, sophomore Demetrius Jones and freshman Jimmy Clausen – trying to win Notre Dame’s starting job could do.

Coach Charlie Weis gave all three equal repetitions and said he’ll wait until after practice Monday evening to evaluate whether anyone is distancing themselves.

“They’ve been OK,” Weis said. “They haven’t been great. They haven’t been terrible.”

Weis said he believes all three quarterbacks can do the job.

“You think you have a question, try being me,” Weis said. “That’s the biggest question mark that the guy who is directly responsible for the position has to worry about.

“But what I’ve learned is that we’ll be good enough to compete to win.”

During practice Saturday, each quarterback threw at least one long pass except for Clausen. Weis said he only called one deep pass all day.

And he gave a cryptic answer about Clausen’s ability to throw the ball deep.

“Can he throw the ball deep,” Weis said. “I think we’ll have to wait until Sept. 1 to find that out.”

...

This and that

Dayne Crist, who has orally committed to play quarterback at Notre Dame, was at practice and hung out with the quarterbacks the entire time. The 17-year-old from Sherman Oaks, Calif., is bigger (6-5, 228 pounds) than any Irish quarterback on the roster. ... Weis, continuing a trend when he started, said he plans on playing freshmen from the first game and they wouldn’t see mop-up time.

 

[johnnd05]

August 12, 2007
Along Came Jones

by TODD D. BURLAGE
Assistant Editor

The public practice was only about five minutes old Saturday at the stadium and I had already solved the burning question of who the next starting quarterback at Notre Dame will be.

Demetrius Jones was working with center John Sullivan, tailback Travis Thomas and fullback Asaph Schwapp in the first drill of the day. Evan Sharpley was working with the projected second stringers and Jimmy Clausen was working with a threesome down on the depth chart, including fullback Dex Cure.

Jones is the starter, Sharpley the backup and Clausen No. 3 – mystery solved, case closed. That was easy. There was even time to stop for breakfast on my way home.

But just about the time I had my computer bag packed and car keys in hand, Sharpley lined up first with the sure starters in a different drill. Now what? Well, at least I knew which were the top two candidates, or so I thought.

A few minutes later, Charlie Weis devoted his undivided attention to Jimmy Clausen for about 20 minutes in an important 9-on-7 drill while Jones and Sharpley worked with Ron Powlus about 50 yards away.

I should have left when I had all this figured out.

“We’ve had different quarterbacks doing different things on different days,” Weis said afterward to muddy things even further. “Sometimes they run 9-on-7. Sometimes they throw 1-on-1.”

Weis warned not to read too much into what we saw at one 150-minute practice but it was impossible not to. He said the quarterbacks routinely rotate through different drills. The fact that Clausen spent much of his day handing the ball off and throwing only soft shot put passes while Sharpley and Jones whipped it all over the field was based only on whose turn it was to do what Saturday.

“Can (Clausen) throw the ball deep ball,” Weis asked rhetorically, “I think we’ll have to wait until Sept. 1 to find that out.”

Okay, with a remark like that, Clausen sounds like the sure bet to the starter.

It was fun but futile trying to identify the starter because Weis may not even know whom the starter is yet. My hunch is he knows which two will be the starter and the backup but the order remains to be determined. His evaluation of the three after practice fell somewhere between pessimistic and glowing.

“They’ve been okay,” Weis said. “They haven’t been great, they haven’t been terrible...I think that we’ll be good enough to win.”

Again, if you go only by what you saw Saturday, Jones will be the starter and Sharpley will be the backup to start the season. Jones was the first one out with the first unit every time and Sharpley worked right behind him. The offense even showed a brief look at an option formation with Jones under center.

Jones also got an indirect vote of confidence from Weis early last week when the coach said the inexperience of the offense lends itself to a higher-risk higher-reward quarterback more than a low-risk game manager.

“You can’t just count on a guy just to manage the team because then the only games you’re going to win are the games you’re supposed to win,” Weis said. “Those nail-biter games – the ones that could go either way, it’s a pretty even matchup on paper. If you want to win a fair amount of those, you can’t just take the easy way out and go the safe route.”

As far as performance on the field, it was hard to argue that Sharpley threw the best Saturday. To these untrained eyes, Sharpley’s passes were crisp, well timed and in the perfect spots. Jones’ passes were a tick late and often behind. Clausen didn’t throw enough to make any evaluations, but something didn’t look right when he did throw.

Weis said the first phase of installation will be complete after Monday’s practices and that will put things “right at about the time where all these guys have given us an opportunity to start evaluating whether there’s separation between them.”

But for now, all we have is this one practice to mold our judgments and try to solve the biggest mystery in college football. And if you base everything on this one practice, my mind was made up in just five minutes that Jones is the man.

Of course, that was before Weis sent walk-on Justin Gillett out to run the first team later on.

 

[johnnd05]

This is from last week, but it's a pretty cool article anyway (from the Sun-Times):

Jones in the running for QB role
NOTRE DAME | Morgan Pk. grad's mobility might be featured in Weis' offense

August 8, 2007

BY MIKE HUTTON Post-Tribune

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Not that Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis is asking, but quarterback Demetrius Jones has his own vision for the Irish offense.

''I want him to call a play and let me throw it and catch it myself,'' Jones said Tuesday with a smirk on his face.

Jones, a Morgan Park grad, is competing against highly touted freshman Jimmy Clausen and junior Evan Sharpley for the starting spot. Speculation is surfacing that Jones could be a situational quarterback, brought in for running plays. On Tuesday, Weis did leave open the possibility of using two quarterbacks.

''I don't think that is coach Weis' style,'' Jones said. ''But he's the head man in charge. If that is something he decides on, then it's his decision.''

Weis said he's going to tweak his offensive system to fit the strengths of the starting quarterback, which for Jones would mean taking advantage of his athletic skills and mobility.

''I'm pretty sure it's neck and neck,'' Jones said. ''If it wasn't that close, he would have named a starter.''

Unlike last year, when Brady Quinn was on autopilot, Weis said he spends most of his time watching and working with the quarterbacks.

Weis has dropped few hints about who, if anyone, is leading the race. Tuesday's pre-practice session included a 30-minute meeting among all three candidates on quarterback protocol in the huddle.

Jones said he's trying not to dwell on his performance or what Weis thinks.

''I'm just going out there and trying to compete on every play,'' he said. ''I can't worry about what is coming. We all know who the ultimate decision-maker is in this process.

''We have less than a month to prepare for the first game. Everyone as well as the coaches are working together like five fingers in a fist. It is fun. Everything is going good. The competition is good because it makes you stay on your P's and Q's.''

Jones said he worked on adding muscle during the offseason.

''I gained a few pounds, did extra shoulder work [with weights], jumped rope and did a lot of positional stuff,'' he said.

Jones did more than work on physical improvement.

''I've been through a lot of good and bad [during the last year],'' he said. ''I've definitely had to grow up.

''Now, I'm just rolling with the punches.''

 

[johnnd05]

Starting quarterback? Don't ask
Posted: August 13, 2007 01:22 PM

Charlie Weis made it clear today that he won't be naming a starting quarterback before the Sept. 1 season opener against Georgia Tech.

Keeping the name of the starter out of the media will help the Irish maintain their biggest advantage going into the game against the Yellow Jackets. It's the only game all year they'll have that edge on an opponent, Weis said, and he plans to hold onto it until the very last moment.

"Let's get this out now," Weis said during a briefing after the first of Monday's two practices. "I'm not going to announce the quarterback before we play Georgia Tech. I'm not going to announce the quarterback. It's not because I'm trying to sandbag anyone. The only game the entire year that I have any advantage going in is the first one. That's the only one. Because once you play the game, you've played your cards. They're on the table already. We don't have Brady Quinn anymore. Everyone understands that. What we have is three guys who are all very good players, that are all inexperienced on the college level. But they're three different types of players. So there's no intrinsic value of me saying which one's doing which before I go into the first game. It's to my advantage, and to the Notre Dame football program's advantage, to do it that way for the first game."

Weis said he's dealing with a bit of "mental overload" because of the differences between the players and what each one gives him on the field.

"I do different things with different players, so it causes for me a little extra thinking and a little extra distraction, because I have to figure out who am I going to use and what am I going to call," Weis said.

While his comments to those outside the program won't change, Weis said, he will begin to change the percentage of practice reps that Evan Sharpley, Demetrius Jones and Jimmy Clausen receive beginning next Monday.

"The obvious deduction would be that everything is etched in stone, but I can't say that to totally be the case," Weis said. "And I'm not trying to be evasive, I'm not trying to lie to anyone, I think that's where we are on that."

What Weis is saying is that if Sharpley, for instance, gets the most reps starting next Monday and doesn't perform well, those percentages could change.

"Pick a name out of the hat. I say it's him. Now he's the lead guy and he spits the bit, well then you have to do something about it," Weis said. "You have to make sure the team's ready to go."

His goal is to build confidence in all three quarterbacks so that the team is confident no matter who the starter is.

 

[johnnd05]

Weis not ready to anoint No. 1 QB

No announcement until season opener

By Brian Hamilton | Tribune staff reporter

10:49 PM CDT, August 13, 2007

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - The coming weeks will test the hermetic seal on Charlie Weis' Notre Dame football program, whether nary a molecule of information escapes or a tiny fissure yields some leakage.

Because for now, the Irish coach is seeking to preempt further questions or update requests regarding his starting quarterback, reiterating Monday that his identity will remain unknown until Notre Dame runs its first offensive play against Georgia Tech on Sept. 1.

Weis hopes to maximize any element of surprise he has. But after saying over the weekend that separation between Evan Sharpley, Demetrius Jones and Jimmy Clausen was imminent, Weis offered this morsel: By next week, equal time ends and a favorite or favorites will emerge.

"I can't give them proportionally the same amount of work as you're getting ready to play, because then you're not getting the team ready to play," Weis said. "By next Monday, I want to start changing the percentages of who's doing what."

Which won't preclude another big re-direction play.

"When you do [alter the practice load], the obvious deduction is everything is etched in stone—but I can't say that totally to be the case," Weis said. "Take any of them—I say it's 'him.' But now 'he's' the lead guy and he spits the bit. Well, then you have to do something about it."

...

For starters

Though Weis has trumpeted his team's depth relentlessly—possibly to stoke the players' competitive fire—he said few starting jobs remain undecided.

"As far as starting the game, barring injury, not very many," he said. "But ... in the past, you'd only play that many guys. This year a lot of those second guys are going to play a significant role in the game."

 

[johnnd05]

August 14. 2007 6:59AM

Will QB secrecy pay off for Irish?

FOOTBALL: COLLEGE - COMMENTARY

JEFF CARROLL
Tribune Columnist

It's easy to think that they're doing it, hoarding all these strategic secrets, to spite us.

Football coaches can seem like such joyless creatures to begin with, after all.

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, one of Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis' mentors, seems to treat his face like fine china. It might crack if not handled properly. Say with a smile.

Weis' other famous guru, Bill Parcells, only seems to be happy when he's knee-deep in his own misery.

Nonetheless, no one would work their hours and take on their stress load if they weren't getting some pleasure out of the deal. Like, say, the perverse joy of withholding meaningful information, such as who will start at quarterback at Notre Dame this upcoming season, and watching fans and media grouse.

"Let's get this now," Weis snapped on Monday after being asked if anything noteworthy came out of weekend tape evaluations of his three quarterbacks. "I'm not going to announce the quarterback before we play Georgia Tech."

As in the Sept. 1 season opener against the Yellow Jackets.

As he continued to talk, though, Weis seemed almost pained about having to draw this quarterback charade out for three more long weeks.

This hasn't been an easy process, after all. It has had to have been, in fact, emotionally draining for a lot of the people involved, including Weis.

Recruiting Jimmy Clausen was an ordeal in itself, not surprising when the nation's consensus No. 1 prospect happens to play the game's glamour position.

Just since this team last broke from spring camp, Weis has had to deal with the arrest and subsequent legal vindication of one member of the trio, Demetrius Jones. He had to tell yet another QB, Zach Frazer, that he no longer saw him in the future plans of the program.

Through it all, Weis has battled to maintain a poker face about where he might lean. Georgia Tech defensive coordinator John Tenuta is known as one of the most creative minds in the business, and Weis is determined not to show him anything.

"It's to my advantage and to Notre Dame's football program's advantage to do it that way for the first game," he explained Monday, pleading for understanding. "I promise you it's not because I'm trying to hold back from the (media members) that are here every day. It's that I'm trying to win the opener. I'm trying to beat Georgia Tech.

"It's the only game that I have this card to play and I'm going to hold it. My answer won't change. It'll be a game-time decision."

Even if it pains them at times, the ultimate value of keeping certain details secret is accepted as fact in the football coaching fraternity. But does it really work?

More importantly, can it actually backfire? Can the burden of working to keep this thing in-house become so psychologically taxing that the detriments begin to outweigh any benefits?

There are anecdotes in high-level athletics that would certainly support that idea.

In the 2001 Major League Baseball playoffs, St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa sent a veteran pitcher, the late Darryl Kile, out to answer questions about Game 1 at a press conference. Meanwhile, LaRussa planned to pull a fast one on his opponent, the Atlanta Braves, and instead trot rookie Rick Ankiel to the mound.

The result was disastrous. The rookie walked four batters and threw five wild pitches in the third inning of the start. It was a meltdown of historic proportions, so bad that it eventually helped force the young pitcher off the mound and into the outfield, where he returned triumphantly to the majors last week.

Did keeping the start secret in order to protect the player and muddy the scouting report have the effect of actually psyching out the man it was designed to shield?

And, bringing it back to Notre Dame's situation, can the veil of secrecy actually prevent Clausen, Sharpley or Jones from relaxing into a first-game rhythm?

Perhaps the most qualified to handle that baggage would be Sharpley, the junior. He has actually played in games, though minimally. And Weis has gone on record about his grasp of the offense and his dedication to preparation, his security blanket against the pressure.

"I'm in my playbook every night, right before I go to bed, right up until I go to sleep," Sharpley said. "Then I do the same thing in the morning."

Sharpley sounds grounded. When fellow competitor Jones speaks, similarly, he seems like the coolest guy in the room, unnerved by absolutely nothing.

Still, whoever gets the nod will experience few moments in life like the one he goes through on Sept. 1. Since Weis plans to camouflage his plans all the way through pregame warmups, like a living green jersey, the entire nation will be staring as his new toy jogs to the huddle first time. That feeling could be empowering and energizing.

But it could also be oppressive emotionally. That is certainly a risk, and it might been avoidable had Weis broken the tension by announcing this earlier. Even assistant coaches and other players have been forced to strain to avoid tipping anything about the quarterbacks, avoiding direct questions with varying degrees of comfort.

But come what may, Weis has made his decision, and he plans to stick with it.

"I'm (not) trying to sandbag anyone," he said. "But the only game the entire year that I have any advantage going in is the first one. That's the only one.

"Once you've played the game, you've now played your cards."

 

[WinOverAll08]

Clausen QB, D. Jones WR?

Clausen QB, D. Jones WR?

now guys, before you get all mad about this, please keep in mind that this is purely coming from my mind. this is in no shape or form a rumored possibility, but simply something that i thought might make sense. with that said, do you think it's possible, and would success be a result, if jimmy clausen were to become the starter and demetrius shifting to wide receiver? jones is an incredible athlete and could really be of use to our lack of receivers.

 

[johnnd05]

From what I hear there is no chance that Demetrius will want to play wideout. In any case, it's clearly outside the realm of possibility for THIS year - too late in the game.

 

[IrishAlum1997]

From what I hear there is no chance that Demetrius will want to play wideout. In any case, it's clearly outside the realm of possibility for THIS year - too late in the game.

Is it really too late in the game? If I recall, Carlyle Holiday moved to WR Brady's freshman season once he took over so we could utilize his athleticism.

Not saying it will happen, but it IS possible...

 

[johnnd05]

Is it really too late in the game? If I recall, Carlyle Holiday moved to WR Brady's freshman season once he took over so we could utilize his athleticism.

Not saying it will happen, but it IS possible...

Good point. But I'm not sure that Demetrius is quite the athlete Carlyle was, and in this case we have to consider the possibility that the QB race may well be "open" for a while - unless Sharpley or Clausen clearly separate themselves from the pack pretty quickly, Demetrius might still be competing for playing time at QB even if he isn't the week one starter.

I guess what I'm saying is that while it is in some sense possible, it WON'T happen.

 

[AlbuquerqueIrishFan]

People have talked about this before and DJ basically said that he is a QB period. Charlie needs to make a decision quickly because the season is 2 1/2 weeks away.

 

[tgolden]

I don't think Demetrius is interested in playing WR. He is a QB, he wouldn't move to WR any more than Even or Jimmy would.

 

[Sureal]

I think the question for me is if he doesn't start does he stay?

 

[DanoMingea]

D.Jones is a F*CKIN quarterback! not a receiver. How bout we put Clausen as a holder for field goals only..come on now. Jones is a QB..who knows he may turn out to be better than Clausen.


just because the kid is black and has good speed and agility doesnt make him a receiver..he probably cant catch worth a lick anyway lol

 

[tgolden]

D.Jones is a F*CKIN quarterback! not a receiver. How bout we put Clausen as a holder for field goals only..come on now. Jones is a QB..who knows he may turn out to be better than Clausen.


just because the kid is black and has good speed and agility doesnt make him a receiver..he probably cant catch worth a lick anyway lol

haha, that's sorta my line of thought in the fact that this question keeps getting asked. however, i don't think people meant it quite like that. and to be fair, he did play some WR in high school, so I would assume he can catch a little bit. but yes, Jones is a QB. period.

 

[johnnd05]

Absolutely right - excellent post, reps.

 

[KAPLAN]

D.Jones is a F*CKIN quarterback! not a receiver. How bout we put Clausen as a holder for field goals only..come on now. Jones is a QB..who knows he may turn out to be better than Clausen.


just because the kid is black and has good speed and agility doesnt make him a receiver..he probably cant catch worth a lick anyway lol

I think if Sharpley or Clausen was as fast as he is then there might be talk about them moving to WR. But I do not think we want Clausen and his 5.0 speed lining up for a deep ball. I think we should have DJ and Clausen/Sharpley switch out so the other team would have to prepare for everything.

 

[Newc]

Thats actually not all that bad of an idea. True, DD has stated that he is a Qb and wants to remain one, however, there have been many succesful QB to WR transitions that we see in the NFL today, including our own Arnaz Battle. Look at Randel El, I don't think he would ever make it as a QB in the NFL but can help a team out alot with his atleticism at WR and return man. DD is in his soph year and if he isn't awarded the starting spot it may not be all that bad of an avenue to explore. If he were to transfer he would lose another year of eligibility and have his choice of teams reduced by Weis's rules, so it may be difficult to go somewhere else, learn a whole new system and produce with great results in a shortened amount of time. And you've got to consider, it wouldn't be all that bad to be a WR on the '09 National Champ team.

 

[Irish52]

The longer Charlie takes to select a nr.1 qtrbk., the more I lean toward co-qtrbks. with DD being one of them...from the gitgo! Wouldn't that combo create a defensive nightmare for the opponent!

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

now guys, before you get all mad about this, please keep in mind that this is purely coming from my mind. this is in no shape or form a rumored possibility, but simply something that i thought might make sense. with that said, do you think it's possible, and would success be a result, if jimmy clausen were to become the starter and demetrius shifting to wide receiver? jones is an incredible athlete and could really be of use to our lack of receivers.

I suspect DD would transfer schools before he moved to WR.

 

[GoshenGipper]

People have talked about this before and DJ basically said that he is a QB period. Charlie needs to make a decision quickly because the season is 2 1/2 weeks away.

I heard CW mention on ESPN radio that he want's to know, at least in his mind, by the 20th. So that gives the guys the rest of this week to show their stuff.

 

[nshope]

Thats actually not all that bad of an idea. True, DD has stated that he is a Qb and wants to remain one, however, there have been many succesful QB to WR transitions that we see in the NFL today, including our own Arnaz Battle. Look at Randel El, I don't think he would ever make it as a QB in the NFL but can help a team out alot with his atleticism at WR and return man. DD is in his soph year and if he isn't awarded the starting spot it may not be all that bad of an avenue to explore. If he were to transfer he would lose another year of eligibility and have his choice of teams reduced by Weis's rules, so it may be difficult to go somewhere else, learn a whole new system and produce with great results in a shortened amount of time. And you've got to consider, it wouldn't be all that bad to be a WR on the '09 National Champ team.

Good point...Carlyle Holiday for the GB Packers is doing very well now. He came on late last year and did well and just caught the Packers only TD in their first pre-season game last weekend. When you have athleticism, why doesn't it matter where you play? If Jones had the option of playing a lot as a WR or sitting as a QB, I certainly hope he would choose WR.

 

[johnnd05]

From the Sun-Times:

Hard to chart ND's depth

With tough early slate, NEIL HAYES says Irish QBs may be better off not winning opening job

August 16, 2007

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame's quarterback of the future might not be the player who wins the top-secret competition under way to determine the starter heading into the season opener Sept. 1 against Georgia Tech.

Evan Sharpley, Demetrius Jones and Jimmy Clausen might even increase their chances of becoming Brady Quinn's long-term successor by finishing second or even third on the depth chart when the season starts.

The Irish must replace eight offensive starters from last season while negotiating an early gauntlet that has them playing four of their first six games on the road. The most experienced quarterback on the roster, Sharpley, completed one pass last year. Add it all up, and it's not a formula for building offensive cohesion or stability at the position.

Expect coach Charlie Weis to make a change if his first choice struggles against Georgia Tech, Penn State or Michigan. That's why the competition could continue long after Weis decides who will start the opener. If the three are as evenly matched as Weis has suggested, who will start at quarterback for the Irish could become a weekly debate.

''It's really going to depend on how each of us plays,'' Sharpley said. ''Ultimately, it's up to [the coaches] and who they think gives our team the best chance of winning. That's what it comes down to, getting that 'W.'''

A season of uncertainty

Depth has been the theme of Notre Dame's training camp thus far. Most of the big names who personified Notre Dame football in recent years are gone. In their place is more depth and speed than Weis had in his first two seasons.

How quickly inexperienced players develop and whether the increased speed translates into big plays on Saturdays will help determine how the Irish fare as they set sail for a season of uncertainty.

''We've got a lot more players who can play in the game,'' Weis said. ''If you ask me how well [they will play], I don't know that yet. But I do know that I'm not going to blink an eye about taking someone out and putting somebody else in, and there was a time here when that was not the case. There were times you had to stay in because there was nobody else to go in.''

The lack of experience is most glaring at quarterback, where the more seasoned Sharpley, the more athletic Jones and the more trumpeted Clausen are competing for the starting job.

Deciding which of the three gives Notre Dame the best chance to win ranks among the biggest decisions Weis has had to make since coming to South Bend. It should be fascinating to watch unfold, if for no other reason than a solid case can be made for each of the three.

The offense Weis has installed during camp is not as complex as the one Quinn ran during his fourth year as Notre Dame's starter. Still, as Quinn's backup last season, Sharpley has a better grasp of the offense and all its complexities, which would seem to give him an edge in that all-important area.

He may have completed only one pass for seven yards, but he played in seven games last season, giving him a taste of what it's like to perform in a big-game atmosphere.

Sharpley a quick read

''His biggest attribute, outside of having natural ability, is he's a very smart kid,'' said Rich Hulkow, Sharpley's coach at Marshall (Mich.) High School. ''He's a quick study, and he makes good decisions. All the physical ability a player might have goes out the window if you can't read defenses and make good decisions.''

Hulkow -- who also coached quarterbacks Jimmy Clement, a two-year starter at Miami of Ohio, and Ryan Van Dyke, a former starter at Michigan State -- said he knew Sharpley was special after he completed a pass to his third option in a big game against Kalamazoo Central during his sophomore year.

''I didn't teach him that,'' Hulkow said. ''At that point of his career, we were just trying to teach him basics. A lot of quarterbacks might see that, but they wouldn't have the courage to make that throw. That's when we realized we had a real good quarterback.''

Mobility is Jones' strength

Jones is the most athletic of the three, which would seem to give the former Morgan Park star an advantage because he has the ability to move the chains with his feet as well as his arm.

West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez prefers mobile quarterbacks and has had much success using the spread offense to help create mismatches in the running game. Weis spent a day with Rodriguez and his staff during the offseason in an effort to find new ways to feature Jones.

''If coach Weis went all the way to West Virginia, it wasn't just for vacation,'' Morgan Park coach Lexie Spurlock said. ''He came back with something for Demetrius. Because he can run, it would be wise to implement some of those types of plays for him.''

Clausen is hype-cast

Clausen is the program's most heralded recruit since Ron Powlus arrived on campus in 1993. If he is indeed the quarterback of the future -- and if he has been the best passer of the three, as Weis said earlier in camp -- then why not let him start gaining the experience that could help him live up to the hype?

The much-rumored medical procedure that Clausen either did or did not undergo during the offseason has added another layer of intrigue to the quarterback derby.

''Can [Clausen] throw the ball deep?'' Weis said. ''I guess we'll have to wait until Sept. 1 and see.''

''Wait and see'' is Weis' pat answer when asked which of the three will start against Georgia Tech -- and it might end up being the best way to describe who will start from week to week once the season gets under way.

THREE-ARMED MONSTER

Here's the skinny on the three players competing for Notre Dame's starting quarterback job:

EVAN SHARPLEY

Junior, 6-2, 216

His great uncle, Jim Ninowski, played quarterback at Michigan State and for the Browns, Lions, Saints and Redskins during a 12-year NFL career.

DEMETRIUS JONES

Sophomore, 6-4, 213

The last time the Irish won a national title, in 1988, they were led by a running quarterback, Tony Rice.

JIMMY CLAUSEN

Freshman, 6-3, 207

History is against him. Never before has a Notre Dame quarterback started the first game of his freshman year.

 

[johnnd05]

Weis on Demetrius: Bubbly personality

Posted: 12:28 AM Aug 17, 2007
Reporter: Angelo Di Carlo

In 15 days, the world will finally know who the next Irish quarterback will be---Evan Sharpley, Demetrius Jones or Jimmy Clausen.

Jones, a sophomore, is unquestionably the most mobile of the three and can be a threat on multiple fronts.

Irish head coach Charlie Weis believes Jones also has other special qualities that can make him a solid QB.

"He's go that bubbly personality and he's fun to be around," Weis says about Jones.

That personality also allows Jones to be very responsive to criticism.

"He can take it," Weis explains. "He's one of those guys that you can ride real hard and he won't go in the tank."

That sometimes is a quality quarterbacks don't have.

"A lot of times you have quarterbacks whose feelings are temperamental, that if you chastise them in front of the team, they go in the tank. But he's not one of them."

Weis believes those attributes are very important for the success of a quarterback.

"Usually at the quarterback position you have to have that leadership about you," Weis says. "Or else you probably don't have a very good chance of being a good quarterback."

 

[IrishAlum1997]

Does anyone think Charlie is sandbagging with this whole Claussen sore arm thing? Could we really be trying to dupe GT into thinking our freshman has a bum arm by not allowing him to throw deep routes in front of the media, fueling the daily Joe Schad reports that he isn't ready to go? Only to see #7 take the field for the opening snap and toss one deep to Kumara for 6 on the opening play?

A bit consiparcy theorist, yes. But I just feel like Weis would not be so secretive about his QB decision if he were just to end up starting Sharpley. It's not like GT has oodles of recent Sharpley game tape to review...

"Ok, what this #13 likes to do after he takes the snap is hand the ball off to the 3rd string tailback, so be on the lookout for that." -Jon Tenuta

Yeah, yeah, whomever gives us the best chance to win. I agree. It's still going to be fun as hell to be in the stadium September 1st and to listen to the reaction of the crowd when 3, 7, or 13 hit the field for the first time.

Or maybe we've all been duped. It's Darrin Bragg.

 

[johnnd05]

Weis to keep starting QB a secret

By Michael Rothstein
The Journal Gazette

SOUTH BEND – Charlie Weis’ cut-down day for quarterbacks came and went Monday, and to the surprise of no one, Weis said nothing about who will or won’t be starting at quarterback for Notre Dame.

And to keep his secrecy surrounding the position intact, Weis said he would not publicly eliminate any of the three contenders – junior Evan Sharpley, sophomore Demetrius Jones or freshman Jimmy Clausen – until Sept. 1.

He has made private progress on who will be the starting quarterback as Notre Dame moves from the installation phase of the preseason to preparing for Georgia Tech.

To help get more of a feel for the quarterbacks, as well as to have the team practice at least once in inclement weather, Notre Dame held a 60-70 play controlled scrimmage in Notre Dame Stadium on Sunday night.

“We are right on track,” Weis said.

 

[johnnd05]

QBs still "clueless"

Posted: August 21, 2007 03:28 PM

And now for an update on the quarterback competition, and it's really no update at all. Notre Dame still doesn't have a starting quarterback, according to two of the guys trying to win that position.

“Still clueless," sophomore Demetrius Jones said convincingly this afternoon. "This is not just the media ban, this is what’s going on. I’m quite sure if one of us knew who the person was we’d be more than happy to get it out there, but the fact of the matter is we’re just not to that point yet and whenever (coach Charlie Weis) feels it’s time for it to be named, whether it’s later on tonight or when the game starts, that’s when we’ll know."

Since just about anyone could have predicted they'd say that, and since both have said from the start they were more interested in improving personally than obsessing over the competition, I thought it worthwhile to ask both Jones and junior Evan Sharpley if they'd accomplished all the personal goals they'd set for themselves for training camp.

“Personally, I feel like I’ve made a lot of improvements and been able to help the team as much as I can in our overall goal of winning, and that’s what I wanted to do," Sharpley said.

He said he's spent the past couple weeks developing chemistry with the receivers and studying the plays and reads, so in the event he's named the starter he can step in and perform immediately.

Jones said he's noticed improvement in his mechanics and his reads and that he's tried to work on the "little stuff" to help separate himself. But he never considers the job to be finished.

“I would say that out of a lot of the things on the list, I’ve accomplished a lot, but there’s always room for improvement and there’s always stuff you can work on," Jones said. "That’s part of being a quarterback. I don’t think there’s a day when none of the three of us walk off the field and say, ‘Job well done. I did everything perfect.’ That’s the thing — even if you have one of your best days, there’s always something you can go back and practice.”

Jones said he doesn't mind waiting another few days to hear who the starter will be since he's waited this long already, and added it's been a strong competition.

“Right now the best thing about the competition is different guys have different strengths and weaknesses and that’s what the head coach gets paid for, to decide whose strengths and whose weaknesses we can capitalize the most out of," Jones said.

As you can imagine, there were a few questions thrown at the quarterbacks about Jimmy Clausen's situation and the fishbowl they're in here. Sharpley said he hasn't felt the heat much yet, at least not to the extent he saw Brady Quinn feel it for the last couple years.

Jones was under the spotlight when he was arrested on a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge in May. The charge was later dropped and Jones said the only reason it made the newspapers was because he's a Notre Dame quarterback.

Still, his and Clausen's run-ins with the law have reinforced in his mind the scrutiny he's under.

“I would definitely have to say it’s an eye-opener, and if it was the average person in South Bend who got put in the situation that me and my teammate got put in, you probably wouldn’t have read about it, probably wouldn’t have heard about it," Jones said. "But it’s the simple fact that we do play quarterback here and that’s just something we’ve got to live with. In both cases I think it was something minor and not noteworthy of being published the way it was, but that’s just how it goes. But at the same time, we both can learn from the situation and of course we don’t want to put ourselves back in those positions. It was just an eye-opener to let you know you’re not exempt from anything."

It's another round of interviews and practice here tomorrow. Check back then for the latest.

 

[johnnd05]

Irish's leading QB still classified information

Tribune reporter Brian Hamilton weighs in on the mystery that remains the Irish QB situation.

Brian Hamilton

August 22, 2007

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Some puzzles are not meant to be solved: "Kryptos" at CIA headquarters, some of the Zodiac Killer ciphers, the continued appeal of Chris Tucker.

After Tuesday, one might include the Notre Dame quarterback derby in that mix, because it's turning inquiring minds into applesauce.

Click here to find out more!
No one can name, for certain, the leader in the three-man race. But going against all previous tea-leaf readings, that apparently may include the quarterbacks. Asked on Tuesday if the three competitors know who the front-runner is, sophomore Demetrius Jones flatly said: "Still clueless."

And yet Irish coach Charlie Weis had said that as of Monday -- the day before Jones spoke -- he would reapportion practice snaps in the direction of a favorite. Weis had said he needed to start preparing the team at that juncture.

Or, you know, maybe not.

"This is not just a media [answer]," Jones said, adding that practice reps were still even. "It's actually what's going on. I'm quite sure if one of us knew who the person was, we'd be more than happy to get it out there. But the fact of the matter is, we're just not to that point yet.

"Whenever [Weis] feels that it's time for it to be named, whether it's later on tonight or when the game starts, that's when we'll know."

Was this a contrived evasion? Or did Jones, not exactly a shrinking violet, speak his mind but equate the word "front-runner" with "starter"?

Or did Weis, guessing reporters would request to speak with Jones and junior Evan Sharpley on Tuesday, hold off on the redistribution of snaps until after the quarterbacks appeared? Especially since they wouldn't be available again for a week?

And will someone please pass the ibuprofen?

"We have three guys, and that'll be the case until Georgia Tech," Weis had said Monday. He added that the Irish were "right on track" as positional hierarchies go.

Neither Sharpley nor Jones seemed fazed.

"We've been waiting since April," Jones said. "So 11 more days won't hurt anybody."

 

[johnnd05]

This seems different from what the other news outlets are reporting ...

Weis: I know who the starting QB will be

The world won't know who the next Irish starting quarterback is until ND breaks the huddle on offense September 1st against Georgia Tech.

But Charlie Weis says already knows.

Newscenter 16 Sports Director Jeff Jeffers asked Weis if he knew who the starting quarterback and running back will be in a 1-on-1 interview on Tuesday.

"Oh, absolutely," Weis said. "This is no big secret in my mind."

"People think that you vacillate; you never vacillate," Weis continued.

"You know what you're doing. I'm not trying to sandbag anyone, but I think that going into your first game, it's important that any additional ammo that you could have to help you win that one game you should use."

For much more on Jeff Jeffers' 1-on-1 with Charlie Weis, tune into the Countdown to Kickoff Preseason Special this Friday at 7PM on Newscenter 16.