Weis picks Sharpley over Clausen

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Six weeks ago, Notre Dame football Coach Charlie Weis said freshman Jimmy Clausen would start at quarterback because he gave the Fighting Irish their “best chance to win.”

On Tuesday, he said the same thing about Evan Sharpley, who will start in place of Clausen here Saturday against No. 13 USC (5-1).

Weis said Clausen, the highly touted product of Westlake Village Oaks Christian High, was “banged up” but that the switch was the result of both Clausen’s play and his physical condition.

“There’s a big difference between injured and hurt,” Weis said. “But I think that the separation between the two of them isn’t big enough for a banged-up guy getting a nod over a fresh guy. . . . Now Jimmy can play, but I don’t think he can play as good as Evan, and that’s why Evan is going to start at quarterback.”

Clausen completed seven of 20 passes for 60 yards with two interceptions last Saturday as the Irish dropped to 1-6 after a 27-14 loss to Boston College. He was replaced by Sharpley after Notre Dame’s first possession of the second half.

Sharpley completed only 11 of 29 passes but led the Irish on their only offensive scoring drive. A first baseman on the Irish baseball team, Sharpley has played in six of Notre Dame’s seven games and has led the team on its best offensive series.

Knowing he will face a strong USC defense this week tempered Sharpley’s happiness about becoming the starter. “It’s exciting, but at the same time I need to stay grounded and even-keeled,” he said. “We’re not winning a lot of games right now.”

Weis informed Sharpley and Clausen of the decision separately on Monday afternoon and said Clausen took the news “great.”

“We’re there for each other,” Sharpley said of Clausen. “He’s going to be there for me; I’m going to be there for him.”

Weis said the switch wasn’t necessarily permanent. Clausen became the starter after Notre Dame’s 33-3 home loss to Georgia Tech on opening day. Sophomore Demetrius Jones, who later transferred to Cincinnati, started against the Yellow Jackets.

Clausen, who had arthroscopic surgery on his throwing elbow before fall practices began, left Notre Dame’s 33-19 loss to Purdue on Sept. 29 after taking several hits to the back and hip area. He has struggled throwing the ball deep all season, and his range has been further limited since the loss to the Boilermakers.

Sharpley, a junior, has a slightly lower completion percentage than Clausen -- 53.8% to 57.4% -- but has thrown three touchdown passes with only two interceptions and averages 6.0 yards a pass. Clausen has one touchdown with five interceptions and averages only 4.4 yards a pass.

Sharpley backed up Brady Quinn for two years and competed in the team’s four-way contest for the starting job in spring practices. When Weis narrowed his choices to three -- sophomore Zach Frazer then transferred to Connecticut -- the coach said Sharpley “ran the operation” best.

Sharpley played most of the second half against Georgia Tech and was sacked seven times in 21 drop-backs. Since then, however, he has shown increased pocket presence and mobility. He also played most of the second half of Notre Dame’s loss to Purdue, completing 16 of 26 passes with two touchdowns and an interception. But Clausen started the next week when Notre Dame defeated UCLA, 20-6, at the Rose Bowl.

Even in the win, Notre Dame’s offense continued to struggle. Its only offensive touchdown against UCLA was a quarterback sneak on the third play after coming up with an interception at the Bruins’ two-yard line.