Notre Dame (football only discussion)

[ulukinatme]

I was at the game yesterday. The consensus among the fans I talked to and the people, both journalists and fans, at the South Bend radio show believe Evan Sharpley should be starting at the moment. Nobody doubts that Clausen won't be the future QB, but right now he either has the gloves on (IE only allowed the dink/dunk passes) or he can't see an open receiver down the middle of the field.
If you want to put this team in the best possible position to win, you should put the guy in that can make all the throws. Charlie's reasoning is that Sharpley doesn't perform the same way in practice, but you can't let that base your decision when Sharpley is more consistant leading drives on Saturdays. Its also rumored that Clausen's parents may have brought some politics to the team, requesting that Clausen start or they take Jimmy elsewhere. Those that have met Clausen Sr. say hes a very respectable, nice guy...but it isn't impossible to believe a story like that.

[ulukinatme]

It was mentioned before how John Sullivan, the center, has not been as good as advertised and not the anchor he should be on the O-line, heres an article with more on that:

Football Commentary: Sullivan needs to be offense's leader
Jay Fitzpatrick
Issue date: 10/12/07 Section: Irish Insider

Saturday at the Rose Bowl, Irish center John Sullivan snapped the ball to the side of quarterback Jimmy Clausen's head. Clausen dove on the ball for a loss of nine yards.

The real problem with this play wasn't the loss of yards.

It wasn't the bad snap - we've seen plenty of those this season.

The real problem was what happened on the sidelines after the play.

Sullivan could be seen berating Clausen on the sideline, as if the snap were somehow the freshman's fault.

Clausen has started only five games in college. Sullivan is a four-year starter. There is no reason why he should be calling out a freshman so publicly.

Even worse, this wasn't the first time that Sullivan has called Clausen out on the sidelines after a bad snap this season. Sullivan did the same thing after a bad snap against Purdue on Sept. 29.

Sullivan needs to step up and be a leader on offense. There's a reason he is a captain.

Sullivan entered the 2007 season as one of the top-rated centers in the nation. He was listed on the Outland Trophy watch list over the summer and even made Mel Kiper, Jr.'s "big board" for offensive linemen for the NFL Draft.

And when Irish coach Charlie Weis announced that Sullivan would be one of the team's captains, he said it was because of his leadership on offense.

"I'd say more than anyone, one of the reasons why we made Sully a captain, why the coaches added a fifth captain to the team, is because Sully really has been the heart and soul of our whole offense this whole training camp," Weis said at the time. "A lot of the responsibilities we had on the quarterback in the past, we've taken off the quarterback and we put it on Sully."

So Weis knows that Sullivan has the potential to be a leader. The fifth-year center took over a lot of duties traditionally ascribed to the quarterback - like picking out the middle linebacker before the snap - because Weis trusted that Sullivan would be the best person to lead the Irish in the huddle and on the field.

But now Sullivan needs to re-earn that trust.

Sullivan has had at least one bad shotgun snap in most of the team's games this season - something that he rarely did last year. Instead of gelling an inexperienced offensive line, it has become the worst in college football, allowing the most sacks and aiding the fewest rushing yards.

It's gotten so bad that Sullivan is one of the top 10 most disappointing players in college football - and the only offensive lineman - this season, according to Sports Illustrated's Web site.

Right now, Sullivan's co-captains on offense have become almost non-factors. Running back Travis Thomas has been relegated to the goal-line back, and tight end John Carlson has not produced as much in the passing game as he did last season.

That means that Sullivan needs to show some leadership. He is the only captain who can make a major impact on his own. He needs to take charge of the huddle in a positive manner, bringing Clausen and the rest of the team along to where they need to be.

Sullivan's leadership is by no means the only problem this season. Far from it. But his problem is both noticeable and unnecessary.

On Saturday, don't blame other people for mistakes. Don't worry about anything in the past or anything you can't control.

Just lead.

The offense has plenty of problems. It just needs a leader.

As far as the Top 10 Most Disappointing players in college football, Sullivan should be a leader as the only Senior on the line and the player with the most experience. As far as chewing out your QB after YOU have a bad snap? Unacceptable. I've read now that Sullivan did the same thing after getting beaten at USC last year and Quinn took a sack. Sullivan had another snap go over the QBs head yesterday, which I think hes been able to accomplish once in each game so far. If theres any finger pointing to be done, it should be at themselves and not each other, they should look at what they're doing and decide how they can play better for their team.
People are also starting to wonder if the offense is purposely dogging it when Clausen is in at QB, which may or may not be believeable. I personally just think that Evan has an easier time finding the open receiver down field, or he doesn't have the handcuffs on. Evan seems to make a little more happen when hes flushed from the pocket. The only thing I can point to that says the O-line isn't dogging it when Clausen isn't in is that the running game is no better in either case, there still aren't any holes for the RB.

[BB73]

It's obviously Sullivan's fault - he was a Ty W. recruit.

[MililaniBuckeye]

Originally Posted by ulukinatme

Nobody doubts that Clausen won't be the future QB,...

Don't you mean "Nobody doubts that Clausen will be the future QB"? Or are you saying you all know he'll suck for all time?

[ulukinatme]

Yeah, thats borderline double negative there, my apologies

[buckiprof]

Mrs. Buckiprof took her father to the game yesterday; he has always wanted to see a game at ND. (I can understand that being a college football fan there are some places one should want to see a game simply because they are a fan of the college game.) Mind you neither one are ND fans they are both huge Buckeye fans.

Mrs. Prof reported that it was a "nice little stadium" and a "neat atmosphere", yet not quite like what one experiences in the 'Shoe.

The best part of the report was that Mrs. Prof was dressed appropriately...the wearing of OSU gear. She said that she saw 4 others there wearing OSU gear and each time gave a hearty "OH" which we all know was given the "IO" in return. Gotta love that going down in Domer land.

There was however one OSU wearing person who did not give the "IO" in return. Mrs. Prof went up to the person and said, "I don't know if you heard me or not, but 'OH'". The person looked a little afraid, a little concerned, as to what was going on. Finally, the person's father looked at his 4 year old daughter and said, "Honey, you always respond with an '"IO"". Once the little girl understood, she belted out the "IO" and Mrs. Prof felt her good deed for the day in the land of all that is unholy was done. Again, priceless that a 4 year old girl has learned the meaning of the "OH" - "IO" in South Bend.

Sorry for the interruption. Back to the regularly scheduled topics of how Willingham is the blame for most things this year and, lest I forget, a visit from King Pipesmoker...still having the hard one for his boy Brady.

[Steve19]

Originally Posted by buckiprof

Mrs. Buckiprof took her father to the game yesterday; he has always wanted to see a game at ND. (I can understand that being a college football fan there are some places one should want to see a game simply because they are a fan of the college game.) Mind you neither one are ND fans they are both huge Buckeye fans.

Mrs. Prof reported that it was a "nice little stadium" and a "neat atmosphere", yet not quite like what one experiences in the 'Shoe.

The best part of the report was that Mrs. Prof was dressed appropriately...the wearing of OSU gear. She said that she saw 4 others there wearing OSU gear and each time gave a hearty "OH" which we all know was given the "IO" in return. Gotta love that going down in Domer land.

There was however one OSU wearing person who did not give the "IO" in return. Mrs. Prof went up to the person and said, "I don't know if you heard me or not, but 'OH'". The person looked a little afraid, a little concerned, as to what was going on. Finally, the person's father looked at his 4 year old daughter and said, "Honey, you always respond with an '"IO"". Once the little girl understood, she belted out the "IO" and Mrs. Prof felt her good deed for the day in the land of all that is unholy was done. Again, priceless that a 4 year old girl has learned the meaning of the "OH" - "IO" in South Bend.

Sorry for the interruption. Back to the regularly scheduled topics of how Willingham is the blame for most things this year and, lest I forget, a visit from King Pipesmoker...still having the hard one for his boy Brady.

Imagine. A heartwarming story in the Ntre Ame football only discussion thread. Personally, I am amazed.

[BuckWrestler141]

Why no response King? I appologize for the Marshall comment. I just figured after watching ND's offense this year, that you couldn't find anything else offensive.

[SNIPER26]

Nevada has 611 yards of offense so far tonight. Does ND even have that all season?????

[sandgk]

Originally Posted by ulukinatme

Its also rumored that Clausen's parents may have brought some politics to the team, requesting that Clausen start or they take Jimmy elsewhere.

And so it begins ...

Originally Posted by ulukinatme

Those that have met Clausen Sr. say hes a very respectable, nice guy...but it isn't impossible to believe a story like that.

Which is also how he was viewed one-on-one in Knoxville.
Where the negative rumors you describe above were finally given greater weight.

The Clausen's have a condo in South Bend now.

[methomps]

CHIEF!

[808 Buck]

Nobody doubts that Clausen won't be the future QB,

Except for, maybe, Dayne Crist, who is a pretty darn good QB, as well. Granted, he hasn't set foot on ND's campus, but when has that stopped anyone from giving out Heismans to future ND QB's ?

[king rhabuf]

Originally Posted by SNIPER26

Um, hi? Don't you know rankings don't matter when you've got Jesus Clausen and the Negative Rushing Yards Factory? ND will clearly win this game, I mean, they've turned the corner!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok, not really.

I love how ND fans point out the "improvement" in their pass defense this year (ranked much higher than last year) without realizing that teams are rolling up 30+ points on them without even having to throw. In conclusion, it has come to my attention that Notre Dame does indeed suck.

Did you see the BC game? Ryan didn't fare to well, and looked like an average QB. That was with Wooden on the field too. The team didn't quit either, they easily could have.

My biggest concern right now is Jimmy...

[BB73]

Originally Posted by methomps

CHIEF!

I'm hoping that's the jeweled shillelagh, rather than Carson having ruined the porno career of an Irish defender.

[Thump]

Notre Dame Fighting Irish, NCAA Football - CBSSports.com

Weis considers starting Sharpley over Clausen against USC

Oct. 14, 2007

CBSSports.com wire reports

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame might use its third starting quarterback of the season when the Fighting Irish face No. 13 USC on Saturday.