Yeah, I mean Clausen has blown it in every big spot all season.

If only he had more picks you'd be better.

Yeah I'm aware that other people share the blame. In an unbalanced team that always happens. Clausen is great at dropping back and throwing the a ball where the play is designed. When the play goes bad, Clausen adapts a minority of the time.


It's not just this game, I've said it since he was starting in 07. While he has gotten better, I am pretty sure he'll be a Leinhart or a Quinn in the NFL and not a Palmer.

He's been excellent at extending plays and finding people down field, "adapts a minority of the time" is absurd.

His stats are superb. He's a key in why you aren't 2-6.

How he does in the NFL is irrelevant. It is always a good bet to go against someone becoming a star in the NFL.

Whenever you have a top 15 or so QB, he isn't the guy to point the finger at, and Clausen is inside of that.

I understand you wish he were better, but this can't wait to move on from Clausen, the opponents attack Charlie so venomously because they fear him line, and the bleating about the 2009 Great Robbery in the Big House are three examples of you going full ******-- and you just can't go full ******.

wondering what everyone's thoughts are on Gruden. I'm on the Kelly/Petersen bandwagon but get the sense that JG is high risk/high reward.

It's been twenty years since Jon Gruden ended his college coaching after ascending to the lofty position of wide receivers coach. I don't know why you would want him when his resume with kids is so thin. I doubt he'd want to go to ND-- or stay if he did well.

Dan Devine had extensive collegiate experience and a ton of prior success in a major conference. He made sense. Gruden doesn't.

As a hater, my only problems are that he does know how to be a head coach and that he is likable-- so by all means, try for Gruden. I'll have to grit my teeth about him not being a complete jackass and roll the dice on the rest.

And really, 8-4 is substantial improvement over 6-6. These things take time.

Lol. I'm right all except on b. Gave too much credit to the hater trolls on b, including you, you happens to be wittier one than the other 95%. Congrats.

We need to configure some sort of wager on whether or not the next QB is better than Clausen, maybe even the next two or three.

I might be intersted when I find out who it is. define better.

I doubt this would happen. We just tried the NFL coach with super-bowl success route. Most of NDnation wants a proven college winner.

Bashing Clausen is pretty much the most ******ed thing an ND fan could do right now, aside from backing Weis.

He made a borderline incredible leap from last season to this season. He has also made a ****load of plays when protection has broken down or he has been outside of the pocket. The fact that you have referred to him as a one dimensional multiple times as if it is a knock is basically laughable.

Acting like he plays like a deer in headlights is straight up insanity. He has been as big a QB in late game situations as anyone else in the country. The fact that he has had to play in a close game every week leads to situations where he isn't going to win them all. Plus he had a late go ahead drive in the Michigan loss and a great second half in the USC drive.

Agree, Clausen has been pretty much outstanding all year.

This is a nice encapsulation of why you are being silly. You don't know who the next guy is, and if you think about it, that's a big problem. And two, if "better" is based on objective statistical data, you are probably screwed. So you tell me what better is.

It could be a long time before ND has a better QB than Jimmy Clausen. I know, I know, I haven't defined better.

He also rallied to cut the deficit to 2 vs Navy. Are we satisfied with that? I re-watched the 2nd half on youtube. Yeah he's better than last year but still plenty of wtf moments. Feel free to tell me where I am wrong.

I don't know why you wouldn't state it for a bet you proposed. How about comparing their W-L, minimum sample 20 games?

Yeah, I think Clausen > Unknown Person. silly me.

Do you think comparing their W-L record over 20 games is a better metric than efficiency, where they go in the NFL draft, or some combination of the two?

I don't doubt that ND will have a better team before they have a better QB. Although, if Charlie is there, I think the next guy will have a tough time.

And really, what is the likelihood we'd actually make any such bet. I was table thumping, and if you are not table thumping on your own, ie, there is anything genuine in your apparent interest, then you are again going full ******.

So you look forward to him leaving for the NFL early exactly why?

Everywhere.

Comp--Att--Yds--Pct--Y/A--Sack--YdsL--TD--Int
37-----51---452--72.5--8.9--2-----13----2---1

And his pick came from hitting a receiver in the middle of his back because the receiver missed his route. That guy is killing you. 8.9 Y/A is more than two yards off his average, btw.

ETA both sacks came from 4 man rushes getting through in under 3 seconds when they needed to throw downfield.

Blaming Clausen for anything that has happened this season is beyond dumb. The guy is out there playing as well as any quarterback in the country and getting no help from anyone other than his receivers, imagine if he had a consistent running game to take some of the pressure off or a defense that could support him on an off day.

You're a noble sage, who has contributed magnificently to this thread and forum throughout the year. Unfortunately, the frustration of supporting ND may have temporarily knocked a circuit loose upstairs. We all want scapegoats right now, but Clausen is nowhere near being one.

Well I asked if I was the only one and got my answer: YES.

This has become even too pointless for 4. Snatch up Clausen in your 2010 fantasy team and bump the thread to show me how wrong I was.

Look, what he does / doesn't do in the NFL really has nothing to do with how great his college career has been.

Goddamn you're an embarrassment. I bet Tebow goes undrafted in most fantasy drafts next year, what a ****ing joke of a player that guy is, it's amazing they're able to win a game.

The possibility that Clausen could be on a fantasy team proves the point. I wonder how many QBs ND has sent out in the first two rounds since the inception of the NFL draft.

I can't believe nobody has offered up a "look how well Rich Rodriguez is working out!" yet.

Also re: Clausen -- he's had a good year. He's not perfect. If you ask me, he's still a little quick to throw it away. But that said, he's a top 5 QB in this years weak set of performances -- and he better be sure to thank Tate and Floyd.

LOL at the kicker being named a semifinalist for the Groza award two days after being a big time Navy goat.

I got curious enough to look this up. There were three in both of the 40s and 50s, including several #1 picks. In the last 50 years:

yr name rnd/pick
60 Izo 1/2
69 Hanratty 2/30
93 Mirer 1/2
07 Quinn 1/22