USC tailback Marc Tyler still keeps in constant contact with his former QB at Oaks Christian Jimmy Clausen.

"I talked to him last night and he said he was going to have a big game," Tyler said on Saturday after USC's victory over San Jose State. "I have to go watch the highlights."

Clausen made good on his word, starting the season in much the same fashion he ended last year. The Notre Dame junior quarterback was nearly flawless in leading Notre Dame to a shutout victory over Nevada. Clausen completed 15 of 18 passes for 315 yards and four touchdowns.

It was a good day all around for Oaks Christian products.

Tyler made the most of his opportunities for the Trojans. The redshirt sophomore rushed five times in the fourth quarter for 72 yards and scored a touchdown.

On his second carry of the game, Tyler took a pitch and zig-zagged 63 yards down to the 6-yard line. He followed with a 5-yard gain and a 1-yard dive into the end zone for his second career touchdown.

Up at Stanford, Chris Owusu scored two touchdowns in a Pac-10 win over Washington State. Owusu returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown and took a short pass 63 yards for another score. The sophomore wide receiver had three receptions for 86 yards and returned three kickoffs for 143 yards.

Owusu finished with a game-high 239 all-purpose yards. But the effort came with a bit of a price. Owusu suffered from concussion-like symptoms after taking a hit.

Former St. Bonaventure High and Notre Dame defensive back Terrail Lambert, who went undrafted this weekend, has signed a free agent contract with the San Francisco 49ers, according to his agent, Curtis Richardson.

"We knew it was a legit possibility," said Richardson. "But it was a (little) nervewracking because Dallas and (San Francisco) called during the sixth round and said they might take him, but they took someone else.

"He signed with San Francisco right after though so we were happy with that situation."

Former St. Bonaventure High cornerback Terrail Lambert ran a 4.36 40-yard dash at Notre Dame, according to ProFootballTalk.com.

"He got everybody's attention," Fighting Irish coach Charlie Weis said of Lambert.

Here are a few stories involving local athletes to browse through on your afternoon lunch break.

Is Jimmy Clausen (Oaks Christian) beginning to live up to his golden boy prep rep at Notre Dame? His aerial performance against Purdue might be the first step.

Some more details about Jared Strubeck's (Rio Mesa) kicking experience at Hawaii on Saturday. Watch out for those officials.
Strubeck was named WAC Special Teams Player of the Week for his effort.

Yale senior Liam Leonard (Oaks Christian) earned Honor Roll kudos for Ivy League soccer

And the Ivy League football honor roll included Harvard wide receiver Matt Luft (Thousand Oaks).
Details on Luft's prodigious first-quarter output can be found in in Harvard's game recap