Time to change QBs?
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame doesn't have a quarterback controversy.
No, in Evan Sharpley the Irish found a potential solution under center even if head coach Charlie Weis wouldn't name a new starting quarterback after Notre Dame's 27-14 home loss to Boston College.
"I'm never big on blaming the quarterback for the lack of production on the offense, but obviously he's part of it," Weis said. "I'll have to wait to take a look at this stuff."
It was back-up Evan Sharpley that nearly rallied the Irish from a three-score deficit, engineering a touchdown drive on his first possession and nearly doing the same on one of his last. The junior didn't get the call until Weis decided he'd seen enough of ineffective starter Jimmy Clausen, who drove Notre Dame into Boston College territory just once in seven possessions.
The freshman got the hook after his first snap of the third quarter when he forced a pass to tight end John Carlson. One Eagles defender tipped the throw then another returned it 30 yards to the Notre Dame 11-yard line. Three plays later Matt Ryan hit Andre Callender for a 9-yard touchdown and a 20-0 lead.
Boston College (7-0) went on to win its fifth straight game against Notre Dame (1-6), a feat achieved only by USC, Michigan and Michigan State.
Clausen finished 7 of 20 for 60 yards and 2 interceptions. Weis hinted that Clausen might have been hurt but brushed off the notion that the freshman was any more injured than a typical quarterback in the season's seventh game.
"I thought Jimmy was banged up pretty good, didn't have great zip," Weis said. "I just felt at that time a fresh Evan was the right way to go."
Sharpley showed a veteran's poise in the pocket even if his stat line didn't sparkle. He hit Robby Parris for a 19-yard touchdown to cap his first drive, then came back to sophomore receiver for an apparent 12-yard score on a fourth-and-1 late in the final quarter.
A holding penalty on left guard Mike Turkovich wiped out of the play. Sharpley couldn't find an open receiver on the ensuing fourth-and-long, snuffing out Notre Dame's comeback chance.
Sharpley finished 11-for-29 for 135 yards and 1 touchdown, but that doesn't count his scrambles behind the line of scrimmage to keep plays alive. On one play Sharpley shed at least three defenders before finding an open Carlson.
"He definitely has kind of a little something extra where you saw him breaking tackles trying to get the ball to somebody," said safety Tom Zbikowski. "He's a gamer, that's the kind of person he is."
That's as close as any player came to calling for a quarterback change.
"I'm not going to say one's better than the other," Carlson said. "They're different players and they're both capable players. Evan came in and played well and Jimmy made some plays earlier in the game."
But neither matched Ryan, who arrived at the house where Heismans are built as a potential front runner for the award. The senior didn't play flawless football, but he came close in hitting eight different receivers, throwing for 291 yards hitting on 2 touchdowns.
Ryan also tossed a third-quarter interception to Notre Dame freshman linebacker Brian Smith, who returned it 25 yards into the end zone on a play that became a momentum swing for both teams as the Irish pulled to within 20-14. Notre Dame earned an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for celebrating the score, which was enforced on the kickoff.
Boston College turned the gaffe into easy field position as Notre Dame attempted a sky kick to negate a return, but an Eagles blocker brought it back 18 yards to the Irish 44-yard line. Five plays later Ryan hit Kevin Challenger for a 13-yard score.
"We've got a really young team," Carlson said. "A lot of guys haven't been in this situation."
The Notre Dame program hasn't either, now 1-6 with USC on tap. One more loss guarantees the Irish will finish with a losing season, their first since Tyrone Willingham's 5-7 campaign of 2003.