Jimmy Clausen

Infobox NCAA Athlete
name = Jimmy Clausen


caption = Clausen on the traditional Notre Dame pre-game team walk to the stadium
college = Notre Dame
conference = 1A - Independent
sport = Football
jersey = 7
position = QB
class = Sophomore
career_start = 2007
nickname =
height_ft = 6
height_in = 3
weight_lb = 207
nationality = flag|United States
birth_date = birth date and age|1987|9|21
birth_place = Thousand Oaks, CA
highschool = Oaks Christian HS, Westlake Village, CA
former_school(s) =
career_highlights = Y
awards = 2006 Hall Trophy
2006 "USA Today" Offensive Player of the Year

James Richard "Jimmy" Clausen (born September 21, 1987, in Thousand Oaks, California [ [http://und.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/clausen_jimmy00.html Player Bio at the Official Athletic Site of the University of Notre Dame] ] ) is an American collegiate football player. He is a quarterback at the University of Notre Dame.cite news | first = Pete | last = DiPrimio | title = Notre Dame future starts with new quarterback | url = http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/sports/16390634.htm | format = | work = Fort Wayne News-Sentinel | publisher = | id = | pages = | page = | date = January 5, 2007 | accessdate = | language = | quote = ]

High school career

Clausen had an outstanding prep career at Oaks Christian High School in Westlake Village, California. In 2006, he lead the Oaks Christian Lions to its first ever Division III state title, throwing 49 touchdown passes for the season. Clausen never lost a football game he started in his prep career (42-0) and also holds California state records for career touchdowns (144). He threw for 10,677 yards in his career at Oaks Christian. [ [http://und.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/clausen_jimmy00.html Player Bio: Jimmy Clausen :: Football ] ] As a senior Clausen won the 2006 Hall Trophy for the nation's top high school football player and was also named “Offensive Player of the Year” by the "USA Today". [cite news | first = | last = | title = All-USA players and coach of the year | url = http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/football/2006-12-26-player-coach-of-the-year_x.htm | format = | work = USA Today | publisher = | id = | pages = | page = | date = January 12, 2007 | accessdate = | language = | quote = ] Clausen was also named the Co Player of the Year, along with USC running back Joe McKnight, by Parade Magazine. [cite news | first = | last = | title = Clausen Parade Co-Player of the Year, Kamara Parada All American | url = http://www.uhnd.com/blog/2007/notre-dame-football/clausen-parade-co-player-of-the-year-kamara-parada-all-american/ | work = UHND.com | date = February 4, 2007 | accessdate = 2007-08-01 ]

As the younger brother of two former Division I quarterbacks – Casey and Rick Clausen, who both played at Tennessee – Jimmy Clausen gained media attention very early. Beginning in eighth grade, his parents paid his tutelage under professional quarterbacks coach Steve Clarkson. [cite news | first = | last = | title = The high price of grooming kids for stardom | url = http://www.usatoday.com/sports/2002-07-26-acover-coaches_x.htm | format = | work = USA Today | publisher = | id = | pages = | page = | date = July 26, 2002 | accessdate = | language = | quote = ] During his junior season, a "Sports Illustrated" feature dubbed him “The Kid with The Golden Arm”.cite news | first =Kelli | last = Anderson | title = The Kid with the Golden Arm | url = http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/magazine/11/21/clausen1128/ | format = | work = Sports Illustrated | publisher = | id = | pages = | page = | date = November 28, 2005 | accessdate = | language = | quote = ] Recruiting analysts considered him a “once in a decade” quarterback talent and ranked him as the #1 overall prospect of the 2007 high school class. [ [http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/viewrank.asp?ra_key=1475 Rivals.com Rivals100 of 2007] ] Because of his quick release, some in the media compared him to Joe Namath.

Critics have questioned whether Clausen's success in high school was largely a product of his team – containing almost a dozen players expected to play for NCAA Division I Bowl Subdivision teams, including a highly-ranked running back, Marc Tyler – and the inferior talent level of its opponents. [cite news | first= Thayer | last=Evans | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/06/sports/ncaafootball/06clausen.html | title=For Record-Setting Recruit, Full-Throated Praise and Whispered Doubts | publisher=New York Times | date=January 6, 2007] Many of these critics pointed to the 2007 U.S. Army All-American Bowl in which Clausen was outplayed by fellow 2007 quarterback recruit, Ryan Mallett. [cite news | first =Louie | last = Avery | url=http://www.texarkanagazette.com/articles/2007/01/07/local_news/sports/sports03.txt | title=Mallett Shines Against Nation's Best Players | work=Texarkana Gazette | date = January 7, 2007] Further Clausen's age is a subject of criticism: he started kindergarten at six and repeated sixth grade, thus was 19 years old at the time of his early graduation. [cite news | first= |last= | url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/football/2006-08-23-clausen-westlake_x.htm | title=Clausen just one part of talented Westlake team that seeks another title |publisher=USA Today | date=8/25/2006]

On April 22, 2006, Clausen verbally committed to the University of Notre Dame. [cite news | first=Tom | last=Friend | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/news/story?id=2416943 | title=Third in prized Clausen clan to verbally commit to Irish | publisher=ESPN | date=April 21, 2006] He was the most highly touted recruit for the Fighting Irish since the arrival of Ron Powlus in 1993. [cite news | first = | last = | url=http://www.uhnd.com/articles/2006/recruiting/jimmy-clausen-commits-to-notre-dame/ | title = Jimmy Clausen Commits to Notre Dame | publisher = UHND.com | date = April 24, 2006] Clausen announced his oral commitment at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana, after arriving in a stretch Hummer limousine and sporting a white fur coat and multiple rings on his fingers. He also said his goal was to win four national titles with the Irish.

The way in which this signing day announcement was conducted, including the comments, choice of venue, and Clausen's manner of conveyance to the event, drew criticism for its perceived ostentatiousness. Perhaps even more so this incident was also cited as evidence that greater restraint and perspective are needed in handling the recruiting process on the part of players and coaches, in covering it on the part of the media, and in following it on the part of fans,cite news | first=Dennis | last=Dodd | url=http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/9393293 | title=Domers, hottest new recruit need to get a grip | publisher=Sportsline.com | date=April 24, 2006] considering the unpredicability of how a high school prospect's college career will turn out. One often mentioned example of a player whose college career never lived up to the hype generated during his recruitment is the aforementioned Ron Powlus: lavish predictions were made about what Powlus would accomplish, most notably Beano Cook's forecast of two Heisman trophies, but in reality Powlus was never in contention for the award. [cite news | first=Allen | last=Wallace | url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/sfc/colwal03.htm | title=Evaluating recruits an imperfect science | publisher=USA Today | date=November 11, 1997]

College career

Clausen, who graduated high school one semester early, enrolled at Notre Dame on January 16, 2007. [cite news | first= | last= | url=http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/16479571.htm | title=Clausen enrolls at Notre Dame | publisher=Fort Wayne News-Sentinel | date=January 17, 2007] In Notre Dame's only preseason practice open to the media, Clausen threw only a number of short passes, casting some doubt on the strength of his arm after off-season elbow surgery. [cite news |first=Vaugn | last=McClure | url=http://www.suntimes.com/sports/colleges/304274,CST-SPT-nd20.article| title=Arm injury clouds Clausen's spring status | publisher=Chicago Sun Times | date=March 20, 2007] [cite news |first=Adam | last=Rittenberg | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2963932 | title=Weis using doubters as motivation for Irish | publisher=ESPN.com | date=August 6, 2007]

Following Notre Dame's opening loss to Georgia Tech in the 2007 season, Clausen was named the starting quarterback, [cite news | first= |last= | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3003938 | title=Clausen gets starting nod at QB against Penn State |publisher=ESPN.com | date=September 4, 2007] but would win only one of his first six starts (against UCLA) and was replaced by backup quarterback Evan Sharpley during Notre Dame's loss to Boston College on October 13, 2007. Citing non-specific injuries to Clausen (who had been sacked 23 times), head coach Charlie Weis named Sharpley as the starting quarterback for Notre Dame's contest against USC on October 20, 2007. [cite news | first= |last= | url=http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news;_ylt=ApaPAn6R2cin2qKwlnLW54K.1LYF?slug=ap-notredameqbs&prov=ap&type=lgns | title=Notre Dame to start Sharpley at QB vs. USC |publisher=Yahoo Sports | date=October 16, 2007] [cite news | first= |last= | url=http://www.boston.com/sports/articles/2007/10/14/eagles_take_fight_out_of_irish/ |title=Eagles Take Fight Out of Irish |publisher=Boston Globe | date=October 14, 2007] After sitting out Notre Dame's losses to USC and Navy, Clausen was again named the starter for their contest against Air Force. [cite news | first=Tom |last=Coyne | url=http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news;_ylt=Agm4bcUidzUUyXaGC1O3..AcvrYF?slug=ap-notredameqbs&prov=ap&type=lgns |title=Weis: Clausen back as Notre Dame QB because of zip, accuracy |publisher=AP (Yahoo Sports) | date=November 8, 2007]

Clausen finished his freshman year having thrown for 1254 yards, with 7 touchdowns (plus two rushing TDs) and 6 interceptions. His quarterback rating was 103.85, and he was sacked a team-record 34 times. cite news | first= |last= |url=http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/stats/bycategory?cat=Passing&conference=I-A_ia | title=NCAA Statistics by Category |publisher=Yahoo Sports | date=October 16, 2007]

Alcohol-related incidents

On June 23, 2007, Clausen was cited for illegal transportation of alcohol in South Bend, Indiana. He was driving someone who was of legal drinking age to a liquor store to buy alcohol. According to published reports, Clausen entered a pre-trial diversion program which will erase the citation if he stays out of trouble for the next 12 months. [cite news | first= |last= | url=http://www.uhnd.com/blog/2007/notre-dame-football/sbt-clausen-cited-for-transporting-alcohol/ | title=SBT: Clausen Cited for Transporting Alcohol |publisher=UHND.com | date=August 17, 2007] On August 5th, 2008, the Chicago Tribune reported that photos appeared on the Internet showing Clausen and two other Notre Dame teammates, James Aldrige and Brian Smith, attending a so-called "Beer Olympics."Fact|date=September 2008 Although none of the photos show Clausen actually consuming alcohol, one of the photos does show him with a cup in his hand.

References

External links

*
* [http://und.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/clausen_jimmy00.html Official Player Bio at Notre Dame]
* [http://www.ndlna.com/notre-dame-football-recruiting/2007/Jimmy-Clausen Jimmy Clausen Notre Dame Recruiting Profile]