:: Notre Dame Football ::
Jimmy Clausen, Golden Tate Heading to NFL
Leprechaun Express: Notre Dame Football Intel Update, Dec. 7, 2009
Notre Dame's two Heisman contenders are entering the NFL draft as juniors. Quarterback Jimmy Clausen and junior wide-receiver/punt returner/Wildcat quarterback Golden Tate announced at a Dec. 7 news conference that they are foregoing their final year of college football eligibility to play professionally.
Clausen, who started all three years at Notre Dame, actually is roughly two years older than his classmates, enrolled a semester early, and has been completing his college coursework at a somewhat accelerated pace to have been on track to graduate in May.
In 2009 Clausen went 289 of 425 (68%) for 3,722 yards with 28 touchdowns to only four interceptions.
Clausen was in the top 10 nationally in 12 different categories including being second in the country in passing efficiency with a 161.42 quarterback rating. His 310.2 passing yards per game ranked third in the country, while Clausen was actually first among quarterbacks from upper tier programs (BCS-AQ conferences plus Notre Dame).
With respect to school records, Clausen ranks first or second in 15 different career categories among all Notre Dame quarterbacks. Clausen's seven games with at least 300 yards passing is a Notre Dame record, as is his leading four fourth-quarter comeback victories in a single season (2009).
Clausen, a sociology major, is on track to graduate in May from the College of Arts and Letters. As a result, Clausen could already have been graduating a year early and then taking graduate-level courses in his fourth year of playing college football.
Tate, like Rocket Ismail, one of Tate's early boosters, was a high school running back who needed to make an adjustment to being an all-around wide receiver. He showed great speed and athleticism, including great hands, as a freshman, and then began coming into his own as a receiver during his sophomore campaign, with his route-running and other techniques and parts of his game. In addition, Tate emerged this year as an electrifying Wildcat quarterback, flanker running back, and punt returner.
In 2009, Tate had 93 catches for 1,496 yards and 15 receiving touchdowns, plus two rushing touchdowns and a punt return touchdown. Tate has been named a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association. He also is one of three finalists for the Biletnikoff Award, given to college football's best wide receiver.
Tate is among the top eight nationally in nine different statistical categories, and had the most 100-plus yards receiving games at nine.
Tate scored at least one touchdown in each of his final 11 games.
With respect to Notre Dame records, Tate tied or set six school records in 2009 -- most catches and receiving yards in a season, tied for most touchdown catches in a season, most receiving yards in a career, most career 100-yard receiving games, and most single-season 100-yard receiving games.
Like Clausen, Tate is a sociology major in the College of Arts and Letters.
Former Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis, who brought the NFL's best offensive scheme to Notre Dame football and tutored Jimmy Clausen closely and was like family to Tate, appeared at their press conference at Clausen and Tate's request. In addition to other instruction, customarily Weis would sit down each week with Clausen and go over every single pass Clausen threw in practice, and every single pass Clausen threw in each game.
Clausen was visibly choked-up when making the key part of his announcement. Tate led into his own opening remarks by thanking "God my Savior." (Both players also went on to thank their coaches, families, teammates, and many others.)
Keywords: Notre Dame Football, Jimmy Clausen, Golden Tate, NFL, Charlie Weis
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