Freshman Clausen will start, but running QB Jones could play vs. Wolverines
Though Notre Dame freshman Jimmy Clausen started the Penn State game last week at quarterback, speedy Demetrius Jones is the type of scrambling quarterback that has given Michigan problems the past two weeks.
Could Jones play against Michigan on Saturday?
“Jimmy Clausen’s starting at quarterback and I don’t think he’s run a 4.5 (40-yard dash) recently,” Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis said Tuesday. “We have to game plan based on what our guys can do. Could Demetrius be in the game? He certainly could, but Jimmy’s our starting quarterback.”
Michigan (0-2) hosts Notre Dame (0-2) 3:30 p.m. Saturday (ABC). Some other highlights of Weis’ Tuesday news conference.
On if the Irish are embarrassed? “If they aren’t embarrassed, then they’re not competitors. I’d hope that’s how they were, I know I certainly am. I think anytime you put in as much time and effort and if things don’t go too well and you don’t feel angry or embarrassed, you’re not very competitive.”
On Mike Hart’s guarantee of a Michigan victory? “I think that Mike Hart is a fierce competitor and I think he’s trying to fire up his team. As long as you take it in the proper perspective. Will we bring it up in the team and say, hey, he guaranteed a win? Yeah, we’ll say that because anyone would. In reality, Mike Hart is trying to be a leader … Obviously now he’s going to get the ball and they’re going to give him an opportunity to back that up. Our job – it doesn’t mater what he says or what we say – it’s when they give him the ball can we stop him?”
(Weis insisted, though, he doesn’t want his players making any similar public statements.)
How does Weis balance preparing a freshman quarterback to run the offense with trying to keep him from being overloaded? “I have a catch-22. I would rather not open it up. But I have to open it up to give you the opportunity to score points. I’m aggressive by nature and being aggressive by nature, in that Catch-22, that you don’t hang the quarterback out to dry. At same time you put your team in the position to score some points.”
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