Irish Clausen, Allen to miss practice with injuries, expect to play vs. Purdue on Saturday

Injured Irish QB Clausen expected to play v Purdue

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Notre Dame, already without its most prolific pass receiver, could face Purdue on Saturday with its quarterback and leading rusher both hobbled.

Jimmy Clausen, second in the nation in pass efficiency with a rating of 188.55, did not practice Tuesday because of turf toe on his right foot, coach Charlie Weis said. Tailback Armando Allen Jr., who has rushed for 100 yards in consecutive games, also did not take part in practice because of a sprained right ankle.

As he did Sunday, Weis tried to make light of the Clausen injury.

“Rumors of him having a broken foot and being done for the year are incorrect,” he said. “But he does have a turf toe.”

Clausen, who was not available for comment Tuesday, missed only two plays after being injured Saturday against Michigan State. He has been seen walking around campus in a protective boot, and will have a plate placed in his shoe that lifts the toe up to take pressure off the injured area, Weis said.

Weis said the plan is to give backup Dayne Crist, who did not play as a freshman last season, the majority of the time in practice on Tuesday, but also give third-stringer Evan Sharpley — the backup the past three years — some plays “to knock off a little bit of the rust.”

The plan is to practice Clausen some on Wednesday and for him to take the majority of the snaps on Thursday. Weis plans to take a similar course with Allen, who has rushed for 326 yards in three games.

“I would expect both of them to play,” Weis said.

Weis has said he has confidence in Crist. Crist is 3-of-4 passing this season for 16 yards and an interception on a long bomb to end the first half against Michigan State.

The surgery on star receiver Michael Floyd, who was second in the nation in receiving yards before breaking his left collarbone against Michigan State, went well, Weis said. Floyd had a plate put in his shoulder.

Weis joked that Floyd, a sophomore, thinks he’s a coach now.

“He’s been all over everyone. He was in the training room this morning hammering on Clausen, ‘Get out of that boot. Let’s get going,’” Weis said. “He was getting on Armando for wanting a day off today.”

Weis said doctors have told him that Floyd coming back in two months would be “optimistic,” saying there’s an “outside shot” he could be back before a possible bowl game.

Weis agreed, when asked, that it is unlikely Floyd would seek a medical redshirt because of his NFL aspirations.

“I would let him make the call on that one, but I don’t think that would be much of a call,” Weis said. “I hope to have him two more years, let alone three more years. If you give me him for two, I’d sign up for that right now.”

Weis also said fullback James Aldridge, who missed the past two games with a sprained right shoulder, likely will be out until the game against USC on Oct. 17.