Clausen different since last year's loss to USC

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - Jimmy Clausen isn't the same quarterback who walked out of the Los Angeles Coliseum seven games ago following USC's 38-3 win over Notre Dame.

After that loss last November, which he describes as the toughest of his life, no one was talking about Clausen as a Heisman Trophy candidate after he passed for just 41 yards with two interceptions. He was sacked four times and the Irish didn't register a first down until the final play of the third quarter when they already were trailing 31-0.

Since then, including a win over Hawaii at the Hawaii Bowl, Clausen has completed 122 of 174 passes, a 70 percent completion rate, for 1,945 yards with 17 touchdowns and two interceptions. That's a 193.95 pass efficiency rating through six games. The NCAA record is 186.0 set by Hawaii's Colt Brennan in 2006.

Clausen's 179.25 pass efficiency rating this season would rate as the sixth best since the NCAA started tracking the stat in 1979.

"He's clearly in better command than he's ever been," USC coach Pete Carroll said. "You see it in the decision-making when plays break down and he moves from the pocket and buys more time. He's had a lot of big plays kind of sliding through and around the pocket that gives him a second look at a receiver down the field."

So how did Clausen go from a run-of-the mill pass efficiency rating of 132.49 to the nation's best? It's been a lot of little things. The offensive line is playing much better, giving him more time. The Irish running game also is improved, making it tougher for opponents to focus on the pass. Finally, Clausen is playing better.

"He's always had a strong arm, but now he's making smart throws and finding the open receivers and getting it out there, not trying to force anything," USC safety Taylor Mays said. "You can see that maturity coming through."

Clausen has a confidence and a swagger about him, Irish right tackle Sam Young said.

"It translates through the rest of the offense," he said.

Clausen said it all began after the loss to USC.

"I think this whole entire team has grown from that game on," he said. "I think we've really taken a lot of steps forward."

The 25th-ranked Irish (4-1) will far they've progress when on Saturday when they face sixth-ranked USC, which has the toughest defense they've seen since that humbling loss in Los Angeles. The Trojans are sixth in total defense, 25th against the pass and lead the nation in sacks.

Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis said it's what Clausen does against USC that people will remember.

"I think these are the type of moments where you really get to get judged on how well you do when you go against the really, really good guys," Weis said.

But Weis also knows that's not what Clausen will be thinking about. The motivation for the quarterback from Westlake Village, Calif., is to quiet his friends on the USC team after several years of verbal abuse.

"I think more than anything else, him being able to pick up the phone and call all his boys in that other locker room, I think that would be the greatest thing for him personally," Weis said.

Right before Clausen met with the media on Wednesday he got texts several players "talking smack," Clausen said. But Clausen was sending some messages of his own, texting USC freshman quarterback Matt Barkley about how cold it's been in South Bend. The highs the past few days have been in the mid-40s and are expected to stay like that at least through Saturday. It's supposed to be dry with winds of 5 to 10 mph.

"It's going to be different for him because he's never played in cold weather," Clausen said. "When I first came out here, it was freezing cold. The first day I went out there, I was throwing ducks all over the place. I couldn't really grip the ball. It's something you have to get used to."

Barkley didn't seem too, concerned, though.

"It's not going to affect us," he said.

Barkley's already shown he can play well on the road against tough teams. He led the Trojans on a game-winning drive at Ohio State and threw for 283 yards against Cal. He's 4-0 as a starter, but the Trojans don't depend on him as much as the Irish depend on Clausen.

The Irish will depending on Clausen on Saturday as they try to end a seven-game losing streak to the Trojans.

"We've kind of been the whipping boys of the USC-Notre Dame rivalry," Clausen said. "We want to get on the other end of the stick now."