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USC 38, Notre Dame 0 (final)

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Looks like Sharpley will get the nod over a "banged up" Clausen:
ESPN - Third option the charm? Sharpley to start for ND - College Football
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Evan Sharpley will start at quarterback for Notre Dame against USC (No. 14 BCS, No. 13 AP), making the junior the third starting signal-caller for the Fighting Irish this season.
Sharpley, the backup to Brady Quinn last season and the No. 2 quarterback when Demetrius Jones and Jimmy Clausen started the first seven games this season, will make his first career start Saturday at home.
"I think Evan this week gives us the best chance of winning," coach Charlie Weis said during his weekly news conference Tuesday.
Sharpley has led the Fighting Irish (1-6) to four of its seven offensive touchdowns, despite playing significantly less time than Clausen, a freshman who had started the past six games. Weis said part of the reason for the change is Clausen's health.
"The separation between the two isn't enough for the banged-up guy to start ahead of the fresh guy," Weis said....
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It also goes to mention that James Alridge is doubtful for the game with a high ankle sprain, not what I wanted to hear. Hes the most complete back we have, I imagine Travis Thomas will get a majority of the carries in his place with Armando Allen and Robert Hughes still sharing carries.
 
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This is just a classic example of what Notre Dame does wrong and what everyone else does right (For the most part).

Evan Sharpley is a Junior. He has more experience in whatever system they are running at Notre Dame, if there even is a system. But, he only accumulated stats in, get this, 3 games last season.

Notre Dame won or lost by 19 points or more in 8 games last year. Why would you not let your younger players get some experience?

And yeah, why would you not sit Jimmy Clausen and let him learn if you have an experienced Evan Sharpley in the wings and Demetrius Jones?

Terrible talent management. Consistent programs, like tOSU, USC, Florida, and LSU constantly let their younger players get experience by playing in garbage time.

His argument was probably something along the lines of "Well, we wanted Brady to win the Heisman." Well, yeah, but what about the LSU game?

That's just one of the most basic ways to develop talent. Good coaches get that.
 
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I don't know about that. If you know you're going to suck during that season, why not let the freshman Jesus get some time? You're going to lose either way (Because you're ND), might as well let him get some time.
 
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SNIPER26;961598; said:
I don't know about that. If you know you're going to suck during that season, why not let the freshman Jesus get some time? You're going to lose either way (Because you're ND), might as well let him get some time.
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I agree with you here. It's much like two NFL QBs being thrown to the wolves as Rookies. Payton Manning was put in and sacked repeatedly, throwing pick after pick after pick... but, he was always going to be the guy. That is, Colt brass didn't expect him to win, but to learn.. the winning would come later. Then there's a guy like.... Charlie Frye... thrown in the fire, but if he doesn't preform, he's getting yanked... Ruined him (not that he'd have ever been a stud, just saying).... So, the point is, if you're gonna throw your freshman to the wolves, you gotta stick with him.

Granted, there is a point where you have to basically "give up" on a guy... but I dont think Clausen is at that point. What Weis is doing, if you ask me, is shaking the kids' confidence. Of course, Clausen seems to be fine to extreme in the ego department, so.....
 
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daveeb;961341; said:
Notre Dame won or lost by 19 points or more in 8 games last year. Why would you not let your younger players get some experience?
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Maybe because they're coached an egomaniacal fat fuck...


About a month ago this game would've been totally laughable...now, the way USC has been sleep-walking and with Notre Dame actually having a semblence of a pulse, this might actually turn out to be a game.
 
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Buckeyeskickbuttocks;961602; said:
Then there's a guy like.... Charlie Frye... thrown in the fire, but if he doesn't preform, he's getting yanked... Ruined him (not that he'd have ever been a stud, just saying)....
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I think Anderson has done a pretty good job of proving that Frye is a really bad NFL QB.
 
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SNIPER26;961598; said:
I don't know about that. If you know you're going to suck during that season, why not let the freshman Jesus get some time? You're going to lose either way (Because you're ND), might as well let him get some time.
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My statement also related to players at other positions, particularly offensive line.
 
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daveeb;961341; said:
Terrible talent management. Consistent programs, like tOSU, USC, Florida, and LSU constantly let their younger players get experience by playing in garbage time.
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Especially in the last 2 years, Tressel has done a great job of letting the backups play in much more than garbage time. The results are definitely showing well. :biggrin:
 
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Well the realities of this season are:

1. Notre Dame is not as bad as we originally thought. The probably could beat a mediocre 1-AA team 6 out of 10 times or UCLA once in 10 times.

2. USC is not nearly as good as we originally thought, and they are not currently a "lock" to go to the BCS Championship game. However, they are still good enough to beat Notre Dame by more than three touchdowns. Besides they have the Song Girls.



Great job if you can get it:

untitlledjr2.png
 
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