Notre Dame sophomore quarterback Jimmy Clausen was named to the 2008 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award Watch List Thursday, announced by the Davey O'Brien Foundation and its National Selection Committee.

Clausen was one of 31 quarterbacks to make the list and was the only true sophomore honored (Oklahoma's Sam Bradford sat out his first season).

The O'Brien Award honors the nation's best quarterback from the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Clausen, who was earlier selected for the Maxwell Award Watch List, started nine of the 10 contests he played in as a freshman. He completed 138 of 245 passes for 1,254 yards with seven touchdowns and six interceptions. Last year, Clausen made the earliest debut of any Irish rookie quarterback in school history as he started the second game of the season at Penn State.

Semifinalists will be announced Oct. 27; finalists Nov. 24. The 2008 winner will be announced during The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN Dec. 11.

The recipient will be honored Feb. 16, 2009, at the 32nd Annual O'Brien Awards Dinner at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth.

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Jimmy Clausen talks about taking control in the huddle (WNDU 16 South Bend) In the off-season, Clausen became stronger, quicker, and healthier. He now runs the Irish offense and realizes that being the quarterback is a lot more than sometimes meets the eye.

Young Notre Dame, Clausen feel bruises from growing pains (Arizona Daily Star) SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Jimmy Clausen figures he got hit a total of five times while his teams went 42-0 in high school. At Notre Dame, he was sacked six times in his first start and was so beat up after seven games he missed the next two.

College football preview: Heisman Handicapping 101 (Philly.com) * Tim Tebow, junior quarterback, Florida: So where else you gonna start? You were expecting maybe Jimmy Clausen? * Chris "Beanie" Wells, junior running back, Ohio State: Should put up impressive numbers for a team that should be very prominent. Never a bad formula. And the nickname won't hurt.

Around the Independents (USA Today) Around the Independents

CHANGES LOOM FOR WEIS, UNLUCKY IRISH (New York Post) SOUTH BEND, Ind. - If nothing else, Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis is a straight shooter. That endears him to those who appreciate brutal honesty and it's a turnoff to those who can't handle the truth. Weis, too, is adamant about not being...

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