Nearly everyone thought that when Weis made his long anticipated announcement in late May as to who would compete to be the starting Irish signal-caller, the number of candidates he would name would be two. Two and two alone and that would be it.

That's why when Weis called an audible and indicated that three players are still in the running to take over for the departed Brady Quinn, it created a bit of a stir. In many ways, it was a totally unexpected development. It was as if, in a figurative sense, Weis had come to the line of scrimmage and checked off.

So, after having gone through an entire spring practice and the annual Blue and Gold game, the third-year ND coach was only able to pare one of the quartet of challengers who sought to be the team's offensive leader.

Unfortunately for him, that sad distinction fell on sophomore and Pennsylvania product Zach Frazer. Whether Frazer will decide to stick it out and work to gain Weis' favor in the future is uncertain. But, at best, his prospects at the Golden Dome have dimmed considerably and it will take a monumental effort on his part to get back into the mix. If football holds the importance to Frazer that many believe it does, a transfer elsewhere seems all but imperative.

The trio whose hopes remain alive and viable are junior Evan Sharpley, soph Demetrius Jones and hotshot freshman Jimmy Clausen. When giving his rationale why the aforementioned are still in contention, Weis cited a different area in which each of the competitors was superior to the others.

For Sharpley, who has invested the most time in the program, it was the efficient manner in which he managed the team.

As for the dual threat Jones, it was his penchant for making plays.

When it came to the closely scrutinized Clausen, Weis felt the glamour boy from California was clearly the best and most accomplished passer.

So, in short, it boiled down to the way Sharpley ran the show, the way Jones made things go and the way in which Clausen could throw. All three brought something unique and singular to the fray and as a result, Weis felt the need to see more of each before he ultimately settles on one.

The fact that there are still three in the race would seem to indicate there's little separation between them. If anyone should have an edge, it's most likely miniscule and could easily be overcome. The competition appears so tight that handicapping the outcome is probably nothing more than guesswork.

Suffice to say, the battle has been joined!

But this much is certain. Come preseason workouts, Sharpley, Jones and Clausen better be ready to get after it right from the opening whistle of the initial practice. There will be no time to find yourself and ease into a groove. From the first snap, each must come out producing and show a knack for making things happen.

In this heralded race to be top dog on the depth chart, there's simply no room for a pedestrian beginning. Struggle out of the gate and you're sure to be left behind. Time is truly of the essence. Mess up at the start and it'll be next to impossible to recover enough to be a factor.

Because Sharpley has virtually no college experience and Jones and Clausen have absolutely none, the pressure to find a starter pronto will be immense. It's of the utmost importance that the ND brain trust select someone quickly so that he can get the bulk of the reps, establish himself and nurture a rapport with his teammates.

No matter who eventually wins out, he'll be forced to do something at which many have failed. Namely, growing up in a hurry. He'll need to show a maturity and poise not normally associated with someone so young. He'll have to morph into a decisive leader almost overnight.

Who that someone turns out to be remains to be seen. But look for a favorite to emerge shortly after fall workouts commence. The practices are just too few and precious for a protracted, drawn-out competition. That prospect benefits nobody, least of all the quarterbacks or the team.

And who does Irish and Reds predict will open up behind center on September 1st in Notre Dame Stadium versus the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech?