UPON FURTHER REVIEW: FRIENDS, RIVALS ENGAGED IN SOME VOL-ATILE ACTIVITY : CLAUSEN WANTS JOHNSON AT TENNESSEE.

Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Staff Writer

One moment Notre Dame's Travis Johnson was trying to stuff Alemany's Casey Clausen into the turf Friday night, the next he was boarding a plane with Clausen bound for Tennessee.

What in the name of good-old-fashioned-high-school-football-rivalries is going on here? Two bitter adversaries palling around with one another?

One team's star quarterback and the other's ruthless defensive tackle, no less. And on the night they face off in the biggest game of the year?

These guys are supposed to kick dirt on each other, not kick it with one another.

Whatever happened to loathing and despising your opponent?

OK, there's an explanation. This is no social get-together, it's strictly business. Weary from running away from Johnson as an opponent the last few years, Clausen now wants him as a teammate. He's been barking at Johnson to join him at the University of Tennessee ever since Clausen committed to the Vols last month.

``Phone calls like two and three times a week,'' Johnson says of Clausen's full-court press. ``And I think he's shown me that history of Peyton Manning at Tennessee video like, 50 million times. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy watching it, it's a pretty interesting video. But a million times?''

The high-stakes recruiting now moves to phase two. Clausen and his family have taken Johnson, one of the most highly-recruited players in the nation, to Knoxville for a weekend of football, Tennessee style. Clausen and Johnson will watch on the sideline as the Vols play Auburn today, then meet Tennessee players and coaches and tour the campus and city afterward.

In essence, Clausen has a 48-hour window to close the deal, although he doubts it will take even that long to reel in Johnson.

``Once I get him out there and let him walk onto the field before the game in front of 95,000 people, I'll just shut up and let it speak for itself,'' Clausen said. ``When he sees all that, he'll know.''

Clausen has three factors working for him. First, he and Johnson are good friends. Second, Johnson wants to play big-time college football, and it doesn't get much larger than the SEC, where powerhouse programs like Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Auburn hook up in nationally televised games in front of 90,000 fans every week.

``He's going to see what the SEC is all about,'' Clausen said. ``I just want him to soak up the atmosphere. You don't get atmosphere like that at a place like USC and UCLA. They know how to do it down there.''

Finally, Johnson wants to play in the National Football League, so he's expected to chose a school with a serious track record of sending players to the pros.

More ammunition for Clausen.

``Tennessee has put a whole bunch of guys in the NFL,'' Clausen said, a hint of confidence in his voice.

Johnson isn't so sure, promising to keep all doors open no matter how much he enjoys the next few days.

He's narrowed his list to Tennessee, Michigan, Florida State, UCLA and USC, and plans to give each school equal opportunity to win him over.

Keep in mind that, aside from being one of the best players in the country, Johnson is, first and foremost, a showman. He's the type of player that craves a big stage and an adoring audience. He'll get both anywhere he goes, it's just that some places do it better than others.

That may put USC and UCLA at a disadvantage, since they share the same spotlight as the professional teams in town.

``In L.A., you've got the Lakers, you've got the Dodgers and the Kings,'' Johnson said. ``When you go to Tennessee, it's all football. When you go to Michigan, it's all football. In Florida, you have a bunch of schools, but it's still all football.''

Johnson has no expectations this weekend, ``other then to see 95,000 people,'' he said.

He'll also do some snooping around, try to get the lowdown on that recent report about academic fraud at Tennessee.

``I have to see what's up with all that,'' Johnson said.

Otherwise, he's pretty sure he'll return Sunday night still uncommitted, but with Tennessee clearly in the picture. He doesn't anticipate being swayed enough by that big crowd to accept a scholarship just yet.

``I know it's going to be great, but how much greater will it be then when I go see a game at Florida State, or at Michigan in the Big House, where there will be over 100,000 people?'' Johnson reasons.

Even Clausen understands that.

``Travis is going to have to make the choice that fits his needs, that's what it always comes down to,'' Clausen said.

He can only hope that means Tennessee.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

PHOTO (1) Casey Clausen has his sights set on his Notre Dame pal joining him at Tennessee.

(2) Travis Johnson will visit Tennessee with his buddy, who he tried to crunch on Friday.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News