'Homecoming' victory leaves Clausen speechless
PASADENA, Calif. -- It wasn't always efficient, but it ended with a rare victory, which made Notre Dame's 20-6 win over UCLA a successful homecoming for freshman quarterback Jimmy Clausen.
Or so we are told. Jimmy Clausen, who prepped at Oaks Christian in nearby Westlake Village, was not available to the media -- hometown or otherwise -- after completing 17 of 27 passes for 84 yards.
''He was pretty fired up today,'' Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis said. ''This was his turf, and whenever you can come home and beat a quality team like UCLA, well, he's a happy guy right now.''
Jimmy Clausen spent the game trying to execute a conservative game plan that Weis drew up because he was tired of watching his team turn the ball over in its half of the field. The strategy worked. Not only did the Irish have no turnovers for the first time this season, but they forced seven, resulting in 17 points.
''It made this win that much sweeter, the way the 'D' played, especially causing those turnovers,'' safety Tom Zbikowski said.
Another upset
The biggest roar from the crowd at the Rose Bowl came midway through the third quarter when it was announced that Stanford had upset hated rival USC 24-23 across town at the Coliseum. Chants of ''USC sucks!'' soon filled the air.
''Listening to the crowd, I would assume there was at least one upset,'' Weis said after the game.
Weis said his son, Charlie Jr., told him the Trojans had lost.
''It didn't hurt my feelings,'' Weis said.
Keeps on ticking
Before Maurice Crum Jr. became the first player in Notre Dame history to force two fumbles, recover two fumbles and make two interceptions in the same game, he was being taken to the locker room after being kicked in the shin.
Weis said he recommended that Crum go to the locker room for halftime early to be examined by the medical staff. Everything checked out fine, and Crum returned and became a one-man turnover machine, capped by his clinching fumble return for a touchdown.
[More
at www.suntimes.com]
