Weis says Clausen did well
Charlie Weis, Notre Dame’s third-year coach, found some solace the day after his team’s fourth straight loss.
Quarterback Jimmy Clausen had played better than initially thought in Notre Dame’s 31-10 loss to Penn State on Saturday.
“That was a difficult place for him to start,” Weis said. “We all knew he had obvious talent but he never got rattled, and I thought he showed great poise for a first-year guy.”
Jimmy Clausen completed 17 of 32 passes for 144 yards.
But Weis realized in order for Notre Dame to be effective on offense, Jimmy Clausen will have to throw down field more.
He showed glimpses of it Saturday – a long pass to Golden Tate nullified by a penalty and a 35-yard completion to Robby Parris.
“It’s the way you open up offenses and threaten defenses in the second and third level more,” Weis said.
Disappointing Thomas
Weis hadn’t seen the personal foul senior running back Travis Thomas committed in the first half, but after watching the incident on tape, Weis was more dismayed than he was Saturday.
“I’m a little bit more annoyed even – not that I didn’t address it at that time, but at that time I was trying to get it – well, what could possibly have happened 50 yards away from where the ball was to warrant getting a personal foul,” Weis said. “I obviously have more information on that now than I did at that time.”
Looking ahead to Michigan
Michigan running back Mike Hart gave a guarantee after his team was pasted 39-7 by Oregon: “I guarantee we’re gonna win next week. I guarantee I’m gonna get this team ready.”
Weis wasn’t surprised by the guarantee. He said if he was an opponent watching his team play the past two weeks, he might do it, too. But don’t think Weis won’t use it as motivation.
“Will I say it to my players? Come on, of course I’ll say it to the players,’ ” Weis said. “I mean, I’m not going to say – anyone wants to give you a layup, you’re going to use the layup. But I think that he probably said it for the right reason, not the wrong reason.”
Michigan and Notre Dame have started a season 0-2 at the same time for the first time in history.
And Michigan might have to try and do it without senior quarterback Chad Henne, who left Saturday’s game with a leg injury.
Should Henne be unavailable, the top two quarterbacks in last year’s recruiting class – Jimmy Clausen and Michigan’s Ryan Mallett – would likely face each other.
This and that
Weis corrected the fumbles caused Saturday. Although safety Tom Zbikowski was credited with both fumbles, Weis said after watching tape that one of the fumbles was caused by safety David Bruton. … Notre Dame is last among Football Bowl Subdivision teams in total offense, averaging 133 yards per game. … The Irish are also last in the nation in rushing offense, losing four yards per game.
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