Archive for the ‘Jimmy Clausen’ Category
March 20, 2007
 Loading ...
A Chicago Sun Times article on Tuesday implied that uber-recruit Jimmy Clausen’s arm is injured and may limit what he can and cannot do this Spring.
Jim Clausen Sr. said his son’s injury was discovered last summer.
”We’ve been aware that this was an issue,” the elder Clausen said. ”He played 15 games with the problem this past season, so you know he’s a competitor. But I think at the end of the season, he started to lose some velocity.
”At some point, if it’s causing that much discomfort, we’ll see what other option is best.”
Should the injury limit Clausen this Spring, it would throw a huge monkey wrench into the highly anticipated quarterback race. The Sun Times is the only article I could find discussing the injury, but one thing is for sure, Weis is sure to get plenty of questions about it at tomorrow’s initial Spring press conference.
February 14, 2007
Loading ...
 Welcome to the Valentine’s Day edition of Spanning the Globe. While I begin to thaw out from the ice storm that just hit, here’s a nice collection of links for today.
February 7, 2007
Loading ...
I did a couple posts in this format last year and they were well received so I figured I’d go with the same format this year.
Armando Allen - Running Back - (5’10”, 189 - Opa Locka, Florida)
Allen is a running back with great speed that can flat out fly. He was on multiple top 100 lists and probably would be a much higher rated back had he not broke his fibula. Weis mentioned he should be ready for spring practice, and if that’s the case, I think Allen will see the field very, very early. Allen is already a lot bigger than Munir Prince was last year and he might be the first back Notre Dame has had that could take it the distance at any given moment in a long time. As a junior he ran for 1,095 yards and 12 TDs while missing three games with an injury. He also ran a 4.38 40 yard dash at the Army All American Bowl combine last year - the fastest of any prospect there. If he can stay healthy he will be a big time play maker for Notre Dame in the running and return games.
Weis on Allen: “To get Armando up here was very, very important to us because one of the things I felt we really needed to do was bring some more team speed on the offensive side of the ball. This kid can flat out fly. He’s a threat out of the backfield as a receiver. He’s coming off a broken fibula, which made him miss this entire season. But with his rehab, it looks like he’s on schedule to be ready to go for spring ball.”
Jimmy Clausen - Quarterback - (6′3″, 207 - Westlake Village, California)
Clausen comes in with more fanfare than any other recruit in recent Notre Dame history and is almost everyone’s top rated quarterback in this year’s recruiting class. He was the USA Offensive Player of the Year, US Army All American Player of the Year, and Parade Co-Player of the Year. He is already on campus as an early enrollee which will put him right in the thick of the race for the starting quarterback position. He has never lost a game as a starting quarterback with a perfect 42-0 record with 4 straight state championships. One thing we did learn from Weis about Clausen on Wednesday is that he is not injured as it has been speculated on the internet. Rather, Weis just wants him resting his arm until the end of the month because of all the passing he did in high school. There really isn’t much more that can be said about Clausen that hasn’t been said already and in a few short months we will get to see him showcase his wares in the Blue-Gold game.
Weis on Clausen: “The things that stick to me are his touchdown interception ratio and his completion percentage. The kid last year threw 49 touchdowns versus six interceptions in 15 games. He completed just under 68% of his passes. To me, as a quarterback, production and accuracy physically are really what everyone’s judging you from. That and the fact he’s 42 0 as a starter, obviously it doesn’t get any better than that.
Taylor Dever - Offensive Lineman - (6′5″, 275 - Grass Valley, California)
Dever was a late booming offensive linemen that popped up on a lot of top program’s radars during his senior season. Weis mentioned he could play guard or tackle and considering the relative lack of depth at the guard position, its very likely he could end up on the inside of the offensive line. Dever is one of the more underrated recruits in this class for Notre Dame because he didn’t come on strong till his senior year. He ended up with offers from a couple powerhouses like Miami and Nebraksa (ok and Washington too). He moves pretty well for a big name and was justed ranked as California’s 4th best offensive tackle by SuperPrep.com. The official release for Notre Dame lists Dever at 275 lbs but Weis mentioned that is closer to 290 right now which is a good sign.
Weis on Dever: “I think from what we’ve been able to view he was easily one of the best linemen coming off the West Coast. We’re really happy and fortunate to be able to get this guy. This year alone he was credited with 80 pancake blocks and 50 knock downs. I’m not the one doing the stats for the team, but I am the one watching tape. I’m really, really excited about having him.”
Robert Hughes Running Back - (5′11″, 230 - Chicago, Illinois)
Hughes is a big, bruising back who is built like a tank. He was a very important recruit for the Irish and I was generally surprised when he ended up with Notre Dame because I thought he would pick Illinois a couple weeks ago. Luckily for Notre Dame fans he picked the Irish and he is a great fit for this team and this school. He is definitely a “Notre Dame kid” and gives Notre Dame a power back like they haven’t had in years. He made numerous top 100 lists this year after running for 1,780 yards and 22 touchdowns this year. If you look at this kid, he looks more like a college senior than a high school senior. If he can pick up the offense quick enough he will be right in the mix for carries this year. He is the perfect compliment to Armando Allen and I expect Weis to use Hughes and Allen much like Sean Payton used Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush this year in New Orleans. Hughes is a work horse back who can wear down a defense and get the tough yards. He will be a major force near the goal line as well. Then just as Hughes keeps pounding away at the defense, Weis will be able to bring in Allen to burn the defense on the edges. Weis quote below about Hughes being one of his projects definitely lets us all know he has got big, big plans for Mr. Hughes.
Weis on Hughes: “I love the fact he’s a local kid from here in Chicago. This kid, because he’s a 230 pounder doesn’t mean all he can do is run from tackle to tackle. He can run inside, outside, he can run over you, make you miss. He has very, very soft hands for a guy his size. I’m taking him as one of my projects.”
Duval Kamara - Wide Receiver - (6′4″, 205 - Hoboken, New Jersey)
Kamara is pretty much a consensus top 100 player and top 10 wide receiver. He’s big and can run, and he uses his body well in the air to make the catch. He amassed a total of 125 catches for 2,696 yards and 50 touchdowns throughout his career which are pretty food numbers considering he wasn’t in a pass happy offense. His size will make him a candidate for early playing time if he catches on quickly and shows he can block well - something he was very good at in high school. I said it yesterday in my Cliff Notes blog that he reminds me a lot of Maurice Stovall and Weis echoed those sentiments today.
Weis on Kamara: He reminds me a lot of Mo, to tell you the truth, when you look at him, the way he acts, carries himself, his body type. He reminds me a lot of Mo. We really like this kid. He’s athletic, big, fast. We see him coming in here and challenging walking in the door.
Emeka Nwankwo - Offensive Lineman - (6′4″, 280 - Miramar, Florida)
Nwankwo is a bit of a “tweener” between the offensive and defensive line and could end up along either line before all is said and done. He’s got some pretty good agility from playing high school basketball so I could easily see him making the move to the defensive line in a 3-4 system next to the NT. He will need to increase his strength no matter where he goes and will need to spend a lot of time with Reuben Mendoza before really making an impact, but he has a lot of upside.
Weis on Nwankwo: “There’s a 6′4″, 280 pound guy getting bigger every time I see him. He gives us the versatility both as an offensive and defensive lineman. 60 pancake blocks, 70 knock downs as a senior, and also played some hoops.”
Mike Ragone - Tight End - (6′5″, 230 - Cherry Hill, New Jersey)
Simply put Ragone is a defense stretching tight end. He’s got great speed for the position and was one of the two best tight ends in the country on almost everyone’s list. Like Allen, he missed his senior year because of an injury and had to skip the Army All American game. He hauled in 35 passes for 720 yards and 9 touchdowns as a junior including 6 touchdowns of 60 yards or more. USC was trying to visit with Ragone right up until this past week. Once he adds a little bit more weight to handle the blocking duties of a college tight end, he is going to be one heck of a weapon in this offense. Like Konrad Reuland last year, he comes to Notre Dame more highly touted and with more pure athleticism than either John Carlson and Anthony Fasnao - and we’ve all seen how well each of them has done in this offense.
Weis on Ragone: “We love this kid. As a junior he got hurt. He got to the right guys. He got it repaired right away. Coach Brown did a nice job of working with him, helping him rehab, develop. Kid looks great, put on some weight. He’s really, really fast. As a tight end, you don’t find very many tight ends that run fast. The MO on this guy is how fast he runs….They’re trying to cover a tight end. He’s just running right by everybody.”
Matt Romine - Offensive Lineman - (6′5″, 275 - Tulsa, Oklahoma)
Romine is the highest rated offensive lineman in this class and is a consensus top 100 prospect. He was an Army All American and showed enough leadership to be named captain of the West team. On top of being the most highly rated lineman in this class, he is also the most ready to play which is a good thing considering the lack of experience and depth the Irish have along the offensive line. He might not be as physically dominating as Sam Young was coming out of high school, but he’s got excellent leadership abilities and very good technique for a high school offensive lineman.
Weis on Romine: He got picked as one of the captains for the west team in the All American Bowl. That’s how much the players thought of him that All Star Game down there in San Antonio. He was one of the four cocaptains for the west team. We really like him. We think here is a guy that can come in and compete early in his career. Neither of these guys are projects. These guys are both guys that are solid guys, ready to play.
Golden Tate - Wide Receiver - (6′0″, 190 - Hendersonville, Tennessee)
Tate is a vertical threat from the wide receiver position. He’s got a lot of speed and could be the “stretch the field” receiver Notre Dame has been lacking. Reviews are mixed on him with ESPN ranking Tate as the 2nd best receiver in the country and Scout.com listing him as the 37th best. Regardless, Notre Dame got a very fast wide receiver who can help the Irish in special teams right away. He spent his senior season at running back where he totaled 1,413 yards on 140 carries (10.1 yards/carry) with 22 touchdowns. The 10+ yards per carry average gives us a little idea for about his speed.
Weis on Tate: This kid is as good an athlete as I saw this year. Doesn’t make any difference what we have him do, he’s rushing the ball for 1400 yards, 23 touchdowns, he’s catching the ball for another 510 yards and six touchdowns. The only thing I’m concerned about is that Coach Shrag is going to want him because he might be as good a centerfielder as there is on the country on top of everything else.
Quotes from Wednesday’s Signing Day Press Conference.
[tags]Notre Dame Recruiting, Jimmy Clausen, Charlie Weis, Robert Hughes, Armando Allen, Duval Kamara, Golden Tate, Matt Romine, Taylor Dever, Mike Ragone, Emeka Nwankwo[/tags]
February 7, 2007
Loading ...
Here is a brief overview of all 20 commitments expected to sign with Notre Dame later this morning. As we learned yesterday, there could be some late drama with Chris Little and Ian Williams, but for now, he is some info on who the Irish are expected to sign.
I will have another version of this tomorrow evening after watching the Weis press conference and grabbing some quotes like I did last year.
Offense
Jimmy Clausen - Quarterback
There isn’t much to be said about Clausen that hasn’t been said already. He is simply the most highly anticipated freshmen to enroll at Notre Dame since Ron Powlus way back in 1993. Clausen is one of the most hyped high school recruits in recent memory and brings with him crazy accuracy and the ability to make all the throws. I expect Clausen to start from day one especially considering he is already enrolled at Notre Dame.
Armando Allen – Running Back
Allen is one of the most exciting recruits in this year’s class. He’s got tremendous speed and balance. He simply does not go down easy despite being a fairly small back. He is extremely dangerous in the open field and could be the home run threat this offense has been lacking. Allen’s senior year was cut short because of an injury, but he was an early enrollee and will hopefully be able to at least rejuvenate Notre Dame’s lack luster kick return unit this year.
Robert Hughes – Running Back
Hughes will be the Thunder to Allen’s lightning. Hughes is a big, bruising running back who can be an every down, Eddie George type work horse running back. Hughes is a powerful runner who won’t win many foot races, but when he runs through defenders he won’t have to. Hughes was a huge commitment for Weis and an Irish offense that has had trouble converting short yardage situations over the past two seasons. Hughes has the size to be able to come in and immediately challenge for playing time.
Duval Kamara – Wide Receiver
Kamara has all the physical tools needed to become a great wide receiver in this offense. He will come in a little rough around the edges because his high school didn’t have a very passing friendly offensive attack, but once he gets some experience in this offense under his belt… look out. Kamara’s very good at snatching the ball out of the air and timing his jumps. Kamara reminds me quite a bit of Maurice Stovall. He’s not as tall or big, but he’s still a pretty big receiver who will need some polishing.
Greg Little – Wide Receiver
I’ve haven’t made a post or written an article lately without mentioning Little and how much I’m looking forward to see him line up at receiver. Like Kamara, he will need quite a bit of polish, but his sheer athleticism makes him a very exciting prospect. Little is a natural athlete and could probably play five different positions, but he was recruited as a wide receiver. Little could be a very dangerous weapon in the Notre Dame offense.
Golden Tate – Wide Receiver
Tate brings a lot of speed to the wide receiver position. He is easily the fastest of the three Notre Dame receivers in this year’s class and could be the down field threat the Irish have been missing. It will be tough for Tate to see much time at receiver as a freshman, but his speed could land him on special teams along with Armando Allen. Tate has “take it to the house” speed and could be a weapon for the Irish on kick offs from day one. As a receiver, Tate will need some work after playing a lot of running back this year for this high school team.
Mike Ragone – Tight End
Ragone is one of the highest rated tight ends on everyone’s board. He’s got great speed for a tight end with a 4.5 40 time and he is the kind of tight end that stretch a defense. If Ragone can show he is fully recovered from an injury that caused him to miss his entire senior year, it would not surprise me to see Will Yeatmen moved to offensive tackle with Ragone securing the 3rd tight end spot.
Matt Romine – Offensive Line
There’s isn’t a whole lot not to like about Romine. He was one of the most impressive offensive linemen at the All American Bowl in January. He impressed enough to be named a captain for the West Squad. He played a little big of guard in the AA game, but will be back at tackle for the Irish. He might not be as physically gifted as say Sam Young was last year, but he is still one the best OL ND has grabbed in the last few years. Romine should challenge for playing time next year.
Chris Little – Offensive Line
Rumors have popped up Tuesday that Little may end up at Georgia which would be a major shame. Little to me seems like all he needs is a coach to light a fire under his butt and I think Latina and Weis would do just that. Get him working with Reuben Mendoza in the weight room and we’d have one hell of an offensive tackle. He is a USA Today All American and could develop into a great tackle for the Irish. He wasn’t very impressive at the All American Bowl, but he was also hampered by injury. Let’s hope we are still talking about where Little fits in along the offensive line at this time tomorrow night.
Emeka Nwankwo – Offensive Line/Defensive Line
Nwankwo was originally recruited as an offensive linemen, but recently reports are he may get a look at defensive tackle first. Notre Dame pulled him out of Florida which is always nice to see. Wherever he ends up, Nwankwo is most likely going to need a year or two in the weight room. He will especially need to bulk up if he is going to get a serious look at defensive tackle. He’s got some pretty good quickness though.
Andrew Nuss – Offensive Line/Defensive Line
Like Nwankwo, Nuss may get a shot on defense first. Nuss has stated he wanted the chance to play on defense and it appears as though he will get that chance. Nuss could be actually be a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme unless he bulks up a bit which is entirely possible. I like the fact that Nuss wants to play defense. Being a good defensive lineman is a lot about attitude and it appears Nuss has that attitude.
Taylor Dever – Offensive Line
Dever got some good late offers after a slow start, but ended up picking the Irish in December. Dever’s got prototypical size for an offensive tackle at 6’6”, 300. He really come on strong during his senior season which is usually a good sign for an offensive lineman because it shows he still has a lot of room to improve. Dever could turn out to be a very good offensive lineman for the Irish.
DEFENSE
Ian Williams – Defensive Tackle
Like Chris Little, there have been a lot of rumors about Williams changing his mind at the 11th hour, but let’s hope not. Williams is one of the most important recruits in this class because of Notre Dame’s need for defensive tackles. Williams is the only true tackle prospect in this class and for that reason let’s hope his letter of intent is signed and faxed to the Notre Dame football offices tomorrow morning.
Williams is only listed as a 3 star prospect at defensive tackle by Scout as the 36th defensive tackle in the country, but if there are 35 better tackles in the country I’d like to see them. I really liked what I’ve seen of Williams in the limited video I’ve watched. He is very quick for a defensive tackle and is extremely quick off the line. He could be a great cog in the middle of the Notre Dame defensive line if they indeed switch to a 3-4.
Kerry Neal – Defensive End/Outside Linebacker
Neal is listed as a defensive end on pretty much every website, but in a 3-4 defense, Neal might be a pass rushing outside linebacker ala Adalius Thomas from the Baltimore Ravens. Neal is also probably the most under rated recruit in this year’s class. He has some SERIOUS pass rushing ability and could be a holy terror coming after opposing quarterbacks. He played a lot of tight end in high school and has some pretty good hands which would make dropping into coverage when necessary not that big a deal for him.
This is one recruit I am really excited to see line up for the Irish, especially in a 3-4 scheme. He is probably too small (listed at 230 lbs) right now to make an immediate impact at defensive end in a traditional 4-3 defense, but he’s got the skill set that makes me think he is going to be an absolute perfect fit in a 3-4.
Brian Smith – Linebacker
Smith was a very late addition to this class after receiving an offer from the Irish in the middle of January. It’s not really clear where he’ll fit in at linebacker – whether its as on the inside or on the outside as a pass rushing outside linebacker. Smith is listed at 225 pounds and could easily add the size to play in the middle and be a pretty good run stuffing linebacker, but he also likes the idea of lining up on the outside and getting after the quarterback. Either way, this seems like a kid who really wants to be at Notre Dame and was an excellent late addition. Smith’s father Chris was a fullback for the Irish in the early 80’s.
Aaron Nagel - Linebacker
Nagel was originally going to be an outside linebacker in a 4-3, but in a 3-4, he is probably going to add some weight and move inside. Nagel had a nice week of practice at the All American Bowl and turn some heads in the process. Playing linebacker will be new to Nagel though who played safety and running back in high school. Notre Dame has had good luck in the past turning high school running backs into linebackers (see Courtney Watson and Anthony Denman) and Nagel should continue that success for the Irish.
Steve Paskorz - Linebacker
Paskorz is another high school running back who will be making the move to defense on the college level. He’s got the speed to play on the outside, but could also end up inside if he adds some weight. He had some injuries that slowed him down the past two seasons, but prior to the injuries his senior year he was on the Rivals preliminary Top 100 last spring. Had he been completely healthy he would probably be heading into NSD with much more fan fare.
Gary Gray – Cornerback
Gray is the third early enrollee in this class and is the only corner. Gray is a big time prospect for the Irish and one of the best pure corner recruits, along with Raeshon McNeil and Darrin Walls last year, to head to Notre Dame in a while. He’s got good not great speed and is straight up pure cover corner. He doesn’t have sprinters speed, but he’s got great football speed and plays fast. Gray has the ability to see playing time next year with his early start.
Harrison Smith - Safety
Smith is one of the best safeties in the country this year with the ideal combination of size and speed you look for in a safety at 6’2”, 205, 4.45. Tom Lemming has referred to Smith as another John Lynch multiple times and that seems fairly accurate. He adjusts to the ball well in the air, is a sound tackler, and looks like he does a good job of keeping everything in front of him. He will battle with last year’s crop of safeties for playing time along the two deep.
Brandon Walker – Punter/Kicker
When it was apparent that Notre Dame would not fill out the 25 scholarship spots this year, Weis went after Walker to bring in some competition for Ryan Burkhart who did not impress much last year as a freshman. Burkhart could not win the place kicking or kickoff duties last year so Weis went out looking for a kicker and landed Walker. He’s got a pretty strong leg and the hope here is that Walker can come in and at least consistently put the ball in the end zone on kickoff’s. If he can do that, it will make his scholarship more than worth it.
February 6, 2007
Loading ...
In today’s lesson in depth chart engineering, I will take a very early stab at projecting the offense for the 2007 Irish. With all of the new starters and the relative lack of depth (especially along the offensive line), this is about as inaccurate a science as you will find, but there is very little recruiting news out there right now so let’s have some fun.
(I reserve the right to change my opinions on this post many, many times between now and fall camp)
Quarterback
- Jimmy Clausen (Freshman)
- Demetrius Jones (Sophomore)
This will be one of the most talked about races in college football this summer. Replacing Brady Quinn will not be easy and Notre Dame fans will find out just how good Quinn was for Notre Dame very quickly. The challengers will be 2006 backup Evan Sharpley, 2006 freshmen Demetrius Jones and Zach Frazer, and incoming super recruit Jimmy Clausen. Sharpley has the most experience in the system, Jones has the most athletic ability, and Clausen probably has the most talent of the group.
 Because he enrolled early and will have all spring and fall camps to learn the offense, my guess is that Clausen starts from day one. He tore it up the entire week of the All American Bowl and he has all the tools to step right in. Jones is the wildcard in the group, however, because of his athletic ability. With three new offensive linemen, a new half back, and two new wide receivers, Jones’s ability to make things happen with his feet could be a major asset for this offense. Still, I think Clausen will win this in the fall.
Running Back
- James Aldridge (Sophomore)
- Travis Thomas (5th Year Senior)
 A couple weeks ago no one really thought we would be discussing the race for the starting running back position, but when Darius Walker left early for the NFL, this position battle moved right to the top of the list of most anticipated races. It’s been widely speculated that Travis Thomas will move back over to running back this season. Thomas has looked good in the limited carries he’s seen the past two years, but if James Aldridge is healthy, I think he will be the every down back. Aldridge has got speed and power, but didn’t cut well this year after coming off the knee injury. If he can regain full confidence in his knee early on in spring I think he is starting the season off as the #1 running back.
I think we’ll still see Thomas get plenty of carries, but if Aldridge is completely healthy, I don’t think Weis will be able to keep him off the field.
Fullback
- Asaph Schwapp (Junior)
- Luke Schmidt (Sophomore)
Losing Schwapp this past year hurt the Notre Dame offense more than most people realize. Schwapp is a very powerful fullback who the Irish really could have used blocking for Darius Walker. When healthy, Schwapp is a load for any linebacker to take on. I’m not sold on his ability to convert short yardage situations yet, but he didn’t get many chances last year before being hurt. Schmidt could see some time as well because of his athleticism. He isn’t a pure blocking fullback like Schwapp, but he is a better “athlete” at the position. We should see him get some time this fall.
Wide Receivers
- David Grimes (Junior)
- DJ Hord (Junior)
- Robby Parris (Sophomore)
- George West (Sophomore)
- Greg Little (Freshman)
I’m listing the wide receivers in terms of what the order they would be in a five wide receiver set as opposed to listing two positions because Weis likes to use a lot of multiple receiver sets. Grimes will start off the year as “the guy” at receiver for the Irish. He showed some signs of progress this year and has the most experience by far of any other receiver on the roster. DJ Hord could have been “the guy” this year had he not missed the entire year because of injury. People seem to forget that Hord was the headliner in Weis’s first ½ recruiting class. The kid has the makings of being a very good receiver.
After Grimes and Hord things get really messy. There are a lot of ways this could play out, but my guess for the remaining pecking order at receiver come the season opener would be Parris as the 3rd receiver, West the 4th, and Little the 5th. Parris is almost a Jeff Samardzija look a like in terms of his build. He has good hands and can use his size to his advantage. West saw some playing time this past year, but his progression above his fellow classmates at receiver probably had a lot to do with the fact that he got a head start on them as an early enrollee.
My wild card here is Greg Little. Some people just love to pencil this kid in as a linebacker, but I for one can’t wait to see him get a crack at wide receiver. Because of his pure athleticism, he should be able to work his way up the depth chart rather quickly. I also think Duval Kamara has a shot to earn playing time by season’s end. He is going to be very raw because his offense in high school was very run oriented, but he has got all the physical tools. Had he been an early enrollee, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he was the 3rd receiver.
Tight End
- John Carlson (5th Year Senior)
- Konrad Reuland (Sophomore)
 There’s very little guesswork here. Carlson is going to be a pre-season All American and Mackey Award hopeful. He will become the best friend of whoever is the starting quarterback because of his ability to get open and catch the ball. I also expect Konrad Reuland to make an impact as the second tight end. After a year in the strength and conditioning program, he should be ready to for some serious PT. A multiple tight end set of Carlson and Reuland poses some interesting mismatch potential for opposing defenses.
Center
- John Sullivan (5th Year Senior)
- Daniel Wenger (Sophomore)
 Sullivan should return as the leader of the offensive line. Only he and Sam Young will be returning starters along the line for the Irish in 2007. Having an experienced center like Sullivan should help usher in a new quarterback just a tad more smoothly. Backing up Sully should be sophomore to be Dan Wenger. Some have speculated that Wenger could move over to the defensive side of the ball, but Wenger is the only other true center on the offensive line and should be Sullivan’s backup.
Left Tackle
- Sam Young (Sophomore)
- Michael Turkovich (Junior)
 Young started every game in 2006 at right guard, but with Ryan Harris graduating, he should slide over to left tackle where he will protect the blindside of whoever wins the starting QB job. Young could be one of the most dominating offensive linemen to come out of Notre Dame in a long time by the time he graduates. He started from day one and while he had some growing pains, the experienced he gained last year will be invaluable to him this season. Look for Young to start dominating this year. Michael Turkovich will probably back up Young, but if something were to happen to Young, I could see Weis moving over Duncan who has more experience and starting Turk over at right tackle.
Right Tackle
- Paul Duncan (Junior)
- Bartley Webb (Sophomore)
Duncan spelled Young at times this year and played fairly well. Duncan has the size to be a good tackle on the college level and after two full seasons in the strength and conditioning program, he should be ready to step into a starting role. Notre Dame is very thin on tackles this year with only four non freshman tackles. Bartley Webb will most likely backup Duncan. Webb might be a year of experience and lifting away from being able to make a major contribution, but he’s got good toughness and has shown to be a very hard worker.
Right Guard
- Eric Olsen (Sophomore)
- Chris Stewart (Sophomore)
Olsen might be one of the meanest offensive linemen on the roster. He cracked the two deep last year and with the departures of both Bob Morton and Dan Santucci, Olsen should step into a starter’s role. Because of stellar recruiting by Ty Willingham, Notre Dame has no upper classmen at the guard positions – meaning the Irish will have a trio of sophomores and one freshman to fill the guard positions. Chris Stewart spent most of last season getting into playing shape and should be one of the backup guards.
Left Guard
- Matt Carufel (Sophomore)
- Matt Romine (Freshman)
Carufel was another freshman to crack the two deep last year on the offensive line and should start this year. Carufel is a very talented prospect at guard and should be able to handle the starting job. Matt Romine was very impressive at the All American Bowl in January and will be the other backup guard for the Irish next season.
[tags]Notre Dame Football, Jimmy Clausen[/tags]
February 4, 2007
Loading ...
Jimmy Clausen and Duval Kamara were both honored as Parade All Americans on Sunday with Clausen taking home the Player of the Year honors along with Joe McKnight.
The 6-foot-3, 208-pound Clausen entered his senior season with high expectations. In his two previous years as starting quarterback, he had never lost a game. And his two brothers also had played in college (Casey for Tennessee, Rick for LSU and Tennessee). “Having two brothers play quarterback really helped me a lot with my game and handling all of the preseason hype,” Jimmy says.
The results testify to that. In the 15-0 season he just ended, Clausen completed 194 of 281 passes for 3,428 yards and 49 touchdowns with only six interceptions. In his career, he completed 630 of 937 passes for 10,764 yards and a state record 146 TDs with only 18 interceptions. He also rushed for seven scores. Clausen will follow in his brothers’ footsteps this fall, when he plays for Notre Dame. (LINK)
Clausen was also named the Army All American Player of the Year and the USA Today Offensive Player of the Year.
|
|
