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Go ahead, just try to get it out of him Notre Dame's Weis not ...
Chicago Tribune, IL - 32 minutes ago
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- And they said Demetrius Jones was the most confident quarterback on the Notre Dame campus.

Zach Frazer might have something to say about that -- and Monday he did.

Asked which of the four competitors was ahead on the Notre Dame quarterback depth chart coach Charlie Weis guards like Bill Belichick's cell-phone number, Frazer answered without hesitation.

"In my eyes, I'm No. 1, hands down," Frazer said, sitting comfortably in a chair inside Notre Dame's football auditorium.

Frazer, a 6-foot-5-inch, 225-pound sophomore, proceeded to explain why his size, arm strength and maturity helped him form the conclusion to which he was jumping.

A few feet away, junior Evan Sharpley didn't bite when offered the same bait.

Sharpley offered only that spring has given him an opportunity to develop his leadership style, which won't really matter if he's merely leading the scout team.

Only Weis' opinion matters, and he says he has not yet decided who among Jones, Frazer, Sharpley and freshman Jimmy Clausen will be the top two quarterbacks entering training camp in August.

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 10:27:56 GMT

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[Lefty Noob]

I'm of the feeling it'll be Sharpley, or maybe Jimmy Claussen, but we'll see I guess. Who do you guy think replaces Brady Quinn?

I feel like it will be sharpley at first, but if he struggles down the stretch jones and clausen will battle for the job. i do however expect sharpley to play well in the first few games. but when clausen takes the field if he starts the crowd will roar in approval, but the job is still in the air.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I feel like it will be sharpley at first, but if he struggles down the stretch jones and clausen will battle for the job. i do however expect sharpley to play well in the first few games. but when clausen takes the field if he starts the crowd will roar in approval, but the job is still in the air.

If these other guys are as good as they sound, I'd be tempted to redshirt Clausen. What do you think?

I am wondering why there is even a QB battle at all. Didn't Jimmy Clausen roll into town in his Limo and his championship rings from high school, wasn't he the supposed best QB in the country in high school ? ( I personally think Ryan Mallet was better) What I read into this is that Clausen is not as talented as he was touted to be, or he and Charlie Weis are butting heads, otherwise they would take their lumps this year with Clausen, let him grow into the position and lead the team for the next 4 years. I think the fact that they got Crist, adds to my theory. Does anyone really think that the number 1 rated high school qb's in consecutive years are going to be content sitting the bench behind someone else? the answer is no, they will transfer like Mustain did in Arkansas.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by goldendomerfan

I am wondering why there is even a QB battle at all. Didn't Jimmy Clausen roll into town in his Limo and his championship rings from high school, wasn't he the supposed best QB in the country in high school ? ( I personally think Ryan Mallet was better) What I read into this is that Clausen is not as talented as he was touted to be, or he and Charlie Weis are butting heads, otherwise they would take their lumps this year with Clausen, let him grow into the position and lead the team for the next 4 years. I think the fact that they got Crist, adds to my theory. Does anyone really think that the number 1 rated high school qb's in consecutive years are going to be content sitting the bench behind someone else? the answer is no, they will transfer like Mustain did in Arkansas.

It's probably just because he's a freshman, and Charlie wants someone who knows the system a little better. I doubt there's any problems with Claussen or friction between him and the coaching staff.

From what I have seen, read and heard the choice should be Sharpley. High school stats look pretty similar between all 4 QB's except for Clausen who is ahead of everybody but he also played on a team that had 10 D1 prospects. I have heard he turned 19 years old this past December so he was much more mature than the kids he was playing against and he was throwing without any pressure to open receivers. He'll be under much more pressure at ND.

Sharpley has been with the team going on his 3rd season and must know the play book. He was 10 for 12 in the spring game for 120 yards, Brady 16 for 25 for 160 yards. Sharpley had the same yardage per pass and had a better completion ratio. He made a couple of good runs during that game too. I also noticed that Sharpley did not have a “RED” shirt during the spring game which meant he was “live”. He still threw quality passes and showed pocket presence. He was the only QB I saw in all the spring games that year that didn’t have a “RED” shirt, why?

The only thing hurting Sharpley is he isn't Charlie's recruit.

I read a message board that said give the starting postion to Clausen because ND doesn't have any chance of doing anything this coming season, what kind of a statement is that? I am sure all real ND fans want/expect a successful season every year!

Other things I have picked up on is that Clausen will be playing only for himself not for the team. Is that the kind of person you want running the team?

I hear of the athletism of Jones, maybe they should move him to WR so Sharply has more great athletes to throw to.

The one question I have is what kind of students are these QB's? Are they smart enough to run the team?

[Haynr8dr]

Only getting into the Fighting Irish now (for this season), I'm pleasantly surprised at the prospects we have a QB. I sort of still have a Quinn hang-over. I like the attitude, more importantly, the size of Frazer. He's proto-typical NFL size. And then Sharpley let's his play to the talking at camp. Sometimes, what you see is what you get. Although I know very little about these guys, I feel confident that Weiss will get them to perform.

Clausen and Demetrius Jones should sit and learn IMHO. I think there's a chance that Jones' perceived pure athletic skills may land him in another position eventually.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by Haynr8dr

Only getting into the Fighting Irish now (for this season), I'm pleasantly surprised at the prospects we have a QB. I sort of still have a Quinn hang-over. I like the attitude, more importantly, the size of Frazer. He's proto-typical NFL size. And then Sharpley let's his play to the talking at camp. Sometimes, what you see is what you get. Although I know very little about these guys, I feel confident that Weiss will get them to perform.

Clausen and Demetrius Jones should sit and learn IMHO. I think there's a chance that Jones' perceived pure athletic skills may land him in another position eventually.

I definitely agree with sitting the younger kids. I'd redshirt Claussen, I think. Too much talent at that position already to waste a year of that young man's eligibility. Save him for a little later on down the road.

[Notre Dame News]

Charlie Weis kept to his word — sort of.

The Notre Dame coach condensed his pool of quarterback candidates Wednesday, but not by as much as originally expected. After saying this spring that he would identify his top two quarterbacks from a field of four, Weis opted to keep three players in the race.

Junior Evan Sharpley, freshman Jimmy Clausen and sophomore Demetrius Jones will compete this summer to become Brady Quinn’s successor. Sophomore Zach Frazer, the fourth candidate, appears to be out of the running.

“After concluding spring ball evaluations, Evan Sharpley, Demetrius Jones and Jimmy Clausen remain as the main contenders,” Weis said in a statement. “Each of these three young men brought something unique to the QB competition. Evan ran the operation the best, Jimmy threw the ball the best, and Demetrius made the most plays. For these reasons, they will compete for playing time.”

Daily Herald | Sports

[Lefty Noob]

So it looks like Frazer's out of the running. I'm still betting it'll be Sharpley, with Jones backing him up and Clausen redshirting.

[Notre Dame News]

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Three thoughts on ND's three quarterbacks
NBCSports.com, MN - 6 hours ago
A number of years ago, I went into the then-open spring practices waiting to see a certain individual screw up his chance to start. But every time I watched him, I kept thinking, “There is nothing negative about this guy. He keeps doing the right things with his arm, feet and head, and his teammates respect him. He should be the starter.”

You see, in the spring of 1993, very few people (outside of the Notre Dame players) seemed to believe in senior Kevin McDougal because he was “the bridge” between the graduating Rick Mirer and incoming freshman phenom Ron Powlus. I equated his plight to “middle child syndrome” and compared him to Jan Brady in this respect: “Mirer, Mirer, Mirer” was “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia,” while Powlus was the Cindy Brady (“the youngest one in curls”) who was doted on as the youngest child. McDougal went on to enjoy a brilliant senior year as he became Notre Dame’s all-time pass efficiency leader.

Fourteen years later, I sensed the same middle-child syndrome with Evan Sharpley. Brady Quinn is the departed Golden Boy in whose shadow he languished for two years, and Jimmy Clausen is the new Golden Boy. While practices are far more shut down now than then, the few chances to witness Sharpley in action left me with a sense of, “You know, this guy is pretty good and seems to have the best and most consistent command of everything.”

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 04:19:15 GMT

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[cwstech]

I have been wondering for a while now that would Greg Paulus be the starter if he would have decided to go Notre Dame over becoming an average basketball player at Duke?

[servando]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

So it looks like Frazer's out of the running. I'm still betting it'll be Sharpley, with Jones backing him up and Clausen redshirting.

I can't see Clausen sitting just for the simple fact that he was the most recruted QB in the nation. I see sharpley as the front runner, but i have a feeling that he will struggle bad vs michigan and that by week4 vs mich st... clausen could be the man. I see Jones being used a la Tim Tebow also, no matter who is the starter... Clausen or Sharpley....

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by servando

I can't see Clausen sitting just for the simple fact that he was the most recruted QB in the nation. I see sharpley as the front runner, but i have a feeling that he will struggle bad vs michigan and that by week4 vs mich st... clausen could be the man. I see Jones being used a la Tim Tebow also, no matter who is the starter... Clausen or Sharpley....

Good point about Clausen being so highly recruited, but the team isn't lacking talent at the position from what it sounds like. If a kid like Sharpley's so good, I don't see any point in wasting him on the bench when you can redshirt the wunderkind, give him a year to study the playbook and take the nation by storm in 2008.