Were Irish distracted?

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Demetrius Jones could have helped Notre Dame on Saturday.

Then again, anyone with a pulse could have aided the Fighting Irish against Michigan.

A day after Jones missed the team bus and reportedly enrolled at Northern Illinois, the sophomore quarterback's absence loomed large as Notre Dame lost 38-0.

Did Jones' sudden departure hurt the Fighting Irish?

"I really don't know, but I don't want to use it as an excuse," coach Charlie Weis said. "The easy thing for me to do is say, 'Yeah, the team was all distracted,' but that's a cop-out on my part.

"It came as a surprise, but let's not blame Demetrius for that performance today."

Weis only learned that Jones wouldn't be traveling to Michigan at 2:15 p.m. Friday. He immediately contacted reserve quarterbacks Darrin Bragg and Justin Gillett and told them they would be traveling.

Gillett made the team bus, but Bragg had to get a ride to the game.

Multiple reports indicate Jones has enrolled at NIU and possibly attended Saturday's game against Eastern Michigan. Huskies coach Joe Novak acknowledged the rumors about Jones but said he has had "absolutely no contact with (Jones), his family or any representatives, nor have our coaches."

Weis said he wants to speak with Jones before considering releasing the sophomore from his scholarship.

"I don't think it was a distraction at all," senior safety Tom Zbikowski said. "When we find out before a game that something happens like that, obviously you're going to be surprised."

Junior quarterback Evan Sharpley practiced alongside Jones on Thursday in South Bend, Ind.

"That's his decision," Sharpley said. "I'm going to support whatever he does, but that's on him."

Jones started Notre Dame's season opener and struggled before being replaced by Sharpley in the second quarter. He had received limited repetitions in practice this week behind both Sharpley and current starter Jimmy Clausen.

Line dance: Notre Dame swapped its offensive tackles Saturday, moving sophomore Sam Young from right tackle to left tackle and junior Paul Duncan from left to right. Charlie Weis said an injury prompted him to make the switch but didn't provide details.

Though the line continued to sputter, allowing 8 sacks, Weis plans to stick with the position swap for the foreseeable future.

"One of them is in a lot better position to play on the other side than where they were playing," Weis said. "It became the logical thing for us to do."

He said it: Charlie Weis, on his preseason response had someone suggested Notre Dame would go three games without an offensive touchdown: "I'd probably be willing to bet every dollar I had that that would not be the case. And I'd be wiped out. My wife wouldn't be talking to me. I'd probably be divorced now."