Move Over, Brady Quinn—Jimmy Clausen's the New Sheriff in Town

Brady vs. Jimmy, Darius vs. Armando, Samardzija, Rhema, and Grimes vs. Golden/Duval, Floyd, and...Grimes. Any way you cut it, this year's team has more talent across the board (strictly speaking of the skill positions), perhaps going so far as to say that Jimmy Clausen is much more talented than Brady Quinn.  

I said it: Jimmy Clausen just might be much more talented than Brady Quinn.

Is this the same Brady Quinn that broke dozens of Notre Dame records? The Brady Quinn that led the Irish to consecutive BCS bowls? Yes and yes.

It was inevitable, really. Once Notre Dame's offense started putting up points, there was going to be an abundance of Jimmy vs. Brady comparisons.

One unpopular criticism of Brady Quinn was his not so stellar accuracy. Sure, his completion percentage was a more than respectable 64 percent, and sure, he had a 5:1 touchdown to interception ratio. But to the armchair QB, we all know this is not a complete indication of how accurately a QB can throw the football.

It is, however, an indication of how good a QB is overall. It showed how well Brady read the opposing defenses, his knowledge of the playbook, how well he timed his throws, and that he was just accurate enough to get the ball to the receiver.

Brady Quinn was stronger, very intelligent, and always put his team in the best position to win. But when it counted, he just couldn't make all the throws necessary to truly be an elite quarterback.

More specifically, he struggled to hit his receiver in stride, particularly on slants and go routes (if, on the off chance, a Notre Dame receiver circa 2006 happened to outrun the secondary).

I always wondered why Notre Dame's 2006 offense couldn't ever run those pretty go routes that I see other teams execute. You know the plays I'm talking about. The receiver runs in a straight line and beats his man by a step or two, and if the QB doesn't deliver the ball right on target, the ball is either batted down or intercepted

It's a thing of beauty, the perfectly executed long bomb hitting the receiver in stride, and it was also the unicorn of Notre Dame's offense back in 2006 (and 2005).

One particular play that comes to mind was during the 2007 Sugar Bowl.  

Jeff Samardzija was actually two steps in front of an LSU corner on a go route. Had Brady Quinn put the ball right on target, that would have been seven for ND and perhaps a different ball game.

But Brady horribly underthrew it, and the ball was picked off at the two-yard line as Samardzija tried to adjust by having to stop running and literally come back for the ball.

Fast-forward past the 2007 season (no need to talk about that season), and it really brings a smile to my face every time I see Clausen hit a receiver in stride without losing a step. He is deadly accurate and can make every single throw that is required of a quarterback at any level.

Wait—Clausen is more accurate, yet look at his completion percentage and the number of interceptions he's throwing this year.

At 61.6 percent and throwing eight interceptions so far (Brady Quinn threw seven all of 2006), how could he possibly be better than Brady Quinn?

First off, I never said he was better. I said he was more talented—two things that do not completely correspond to one another. He still tends to lock in on his receivers during the shorter routes, but with experience, that problem is definitely fixable.

What? He's already 20 years old?!? Well, he has a head start on his class already, right?

Sorry, but being a year older than your class does not hide the fact that he has fewer than two years in a college system. Jimmy Clausen has the tools to be so much more, and this is including an ELITE (that's right, I said it) group of wide receivers for the rest of his career.

He is not perfect by any means and still has a way to go. The fact that Clausen is only a true sophomore speaks for itself, but in case you're not as intuitive, I'll lay it out: just think of the potential he has as a junior and/or senior!