Notre Dame Hands Freshman the Reins

QB will try to revive struggling Irish offense
By Max Brallier,  Newser User
Posted Sep 5, 2007 7:25 AM CDT
Notre Dame Hands Freshman the Reins
Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen heads up field during the Blue Gold Football Game marking the end of spring practice Saturday April 21, 2007 in South Bend, Ind. (AP Photo/Joe Raymond)   (Associated Press)

With his team still licking the wounds from its season-opening loss to Georgia Tech, Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis has tapped a new QB: Freshman Jimmy Clausen will start for the Irish Saturday against Penn State. Said Weis, "I think that he was always ready mentally. It's just his arm wasn't a full go until the end of last week."

Behind Demetrius Jones, the Irish mustered only 130 passing yards and one field goal against Tech. Clausen, one of the top high school recruits in the country, will likely run the spread offense. It's the same attack Brady Quinn executed the past two seasons and Weis used as a coordinator with New England en route to three Super Bowl crowns. (More Notre Dame stories.)

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