ALEMANY'S CLAUSEN FITS TENNESEE MOLD.

Byline: Lee Barnathan Staff Writer

The inescapable trappings of fame don't stop at the halls of academia: Tennessee quarterback Casey Clausen's speech-communication instructor asks if he could bring his nephew to class. And can Casey sign some autographs?

People honk and wave as they spot Clausen's black Chevy Tahoe riding down the Knoxville streets. He's beseiged for autograph requests at restaurants.

Clausen happily obliges, especially with youngsters who seem too shy to approach. Clausen approaches them.

It's all part of Clausen's master plan: to join Heath Shuler, Peyton Manning and Tee Martin in the pantheon of Volunteers quarterbacks.

It's more than just walking and talking like a Tennessee quarterback. Clausen is learning to live like one.

In talking with Manning, Martin and Shuler, Clausen discovered a certain code of conduct must be followed: Smile, make yourself available, talk up the program and remember whatever you do reflects on the program and especially you as the quarterback.

``Heath, Tee and Peyton, they've been down this road,'' Clausen said. ``Peyton told me it's just starting. When he was a senior, it was out of control. He had two police officers walking him to class.

``Being the quarterback at Tennessee is more than playing football. A lot more people are aware of who I am.''

This never happened back home in Northridge, even after Clausen threw for 7,532 yards and 70 touchdowns in his three years at Alemany High of Mission Hills. Yet Tennessee fans knew his high school stats before he first stepped onto the campus.

Then he threw for 1,473 yards and led Tennessee to six consecutive victories and a Cotton Bowl berth last year as a freshman. His first pass went for a 19-yard touchdown. Even after a 7-of-25, three-interception effort in the Cotton Bowl, the fans haven't stopped the compliments.

``He knew what he wanted when he came here,'' Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said. ``The guy can't go to the mall, can't go into restaurants. He's a local hero. Casey having the success he had as a true freshman was certainly unique.''

Clausen knows that, too, which is why he spends as much time as possible improving. When the football team runs 12 100-yard sprints, he runs three more. In addition to team practices every Monday and Wednesday, Clausen practices Tuesdays and Thursdays with the other quarterbacks and receivers. He watches tape of his freshman season and Manning's senior year for an hour and a half every day.

The work has impressed Fulmer, which was a change from April 23, when the coach told the Chattanooga Times Free Press, ``I don't think Casey took it as well as I'd liked to have seen him and put his stamp on the offensive team just yet. He needs to do that.''

Clausen said Fulmer challenged him. Once, the coach told him if he plays well, Tennessee will finish 9-2 or 10-1 and earn a Bowl Championship Series berth.

Clausen said, ``I don't want that. I want to win a national championship.''

Fulmer replied, ``Then you have to play great.''

That isn't easy when demands on his time are almost constant. In addition to classes and practice, Clausen regularly appears on radio talk shows and joins his teammates in weekly community-service projects. Recently, the Volunteers traveled two hours to Nashville to plant flowers and paint fences for a local YMCA.

``The commitment, the routine, the community service, he's speaking once a week. A lot of things they're asking him to do,'' said Clausen's father, Jim. ``It's a little overwhelming for our family. He just wants to sit back and watch 'Sports Center.' ''

Which is exactly what Clausen does whenever he needs to get away. Like his predecessors, Clausen retreats every weekend to a guarded and gated condominium complex, where his family bought a three-bedroom unit, located two minutes from Neyland Stadium.

There he can calm down, collect his thoughts, study a little, entertain his family and selected friends, take in the view of the Tennessee River and enjoy a big-screen TV with ESPN and, during the college football season, a satellite package that allows him to watch just about every game in the nation.

``It's a good change of pace,'' he said.

Then, refreshed, it's back to campus for more attention.

And he wouldn't want it any other way.

NUMBERS GAME

2000 Season Totals

Record Cmp. Att. Yds. TD INT

8-4128. 219. 1,593. 16 9

2000 Game Log

Date and Opp. Result Cmp. Att. Yds. TD INT

9/02 So. Miss W 19-16 Did not play

9/16 Florida L 27-23 Did not play

9/23 La. Monroe. W 70-3 12 15 133 30

9/30 (at) LSU  L 38-31(OT) 0 2 0 0 0

10/07 (at) Georgia L 21-10 5 11 40 0 1

10/21 Alabama W 20-10 17 24 213 2 0

10/28 (at) S. Carolina W 17-14 19 31 152 0 1

11/04 (at) Memphis W 19-17 19 30 224 0 1

11/11 Arkansas W 63-20 16 27 191 5 0

11/18 Kentucky W 59-20 19 24 362 4 1

11/25 (at) Vanderbilt W 28-26 14 30 158 1 2

1/01 (at) Kansas St. L 35-21 7 25 120 1 3

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

As a freshman, Casey Clausen passed for 1,473 yards and led Tennessee to six consecutive wins and a Cotton Bowl berth.

Wade Payne/Associated Press

Box: CLAUSEN'S NUMBERS GAME (see text)