DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIP SEALS DEAL INTEREST IN USC WAS THERE, BUT WEIS' TRACK RECORD LED CLAUSEN TO NOTRE DAME.

Byline: VINCENT BONSIGNORE Staff Writer

USC wanted Jimmy Clausen to play quarterback.

Badly.

But in the final analysis, Notre Dame needed Clausen more than the Trojans wanted him.

That's why the state's most acclaimed prep quarterback since John Elway will be lining up for the Fighting Irish next fall instead of the Trojans.

``He really liked USC -- and South Carolina and Steve Spurrier, too,'' said Jim Clausen, Jimmy's father. ``But we truly felt Notre Dame offered the perfect fit on a number of different levels.''

A quick glance at the teams' rosters confirms that. USC looks set at quarterback for the foreseeable future with John David Booty and Mark Sanchez entering their redshirt junior and freshman years.

Notre Dame, meanwhile, loses Heisman Trophy candidate Brady Quinn to graduation after this season, creating an immediate opening for the starting job in Clausen's freshman year.

Clausen will enroll at Notre Dame in January, affording him the opportunity to participate in spring drills with the Fighting Irish and eight months of preparation leading up to next fall's training camp.

By this time next year, he'll likely be preparing to take the field as the starting quarterback in Notre Dame's season opener against Georgia Tech.

``Barring any health issues, there's every reason to think Jimmy can make an immediate impact in South Bend,'' said Student Sports Magazine recruiting expert Greg Biggins.

Not that Clausen's decision was based solely on the team with the most pressing need for his talents. Having gone through the recruiting process two prior times with older brothers Casey and Rick, the Clausen clan took a more practical approach to Jimmy's courting.

The bottom line was finding a school that best enhanced his chances of developing into an NFL quarterback. That's where Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis comes into play.

Weis owns four Super Bowl championship rings, the last three as offensive coordinator with the New England Patriots.

He's credited with developing Patriots Pro Bowl quarterback Tom Brady, and in one season at Notre Dame he transformed Quinn into a Heisman Trophy hopeful and the likely top pick in next year's NFL draft.

``Those type of things catch your attention,'' Jimmy Clausen said. ``When Coach Weis got the Notre Dame job, obviously my interest in them started to grow. You can't ignore the stuff he's done.

``But more than that, after meeting and getting to know Coach Weis, I knew Notre Dame was the place for me. He and I just clicked, and I can't wait to get out there and play for him.''