Clausen had an outstanding prep career at Oaks Christian High School in Westlake Village, California. In 2006, he lead the Oaks Christian Lions to its third straight Division III state title, throwing 49 touchdown passes for the season. Clausen never lost a football game he started in his prep career (42-0) and also holds California state records for career touchdown passes (146). He threw for 10,677 yards in his career at Oaks Christian. As a senior Clausen won the 2007 Hall Trophy for the nation's top high school football player and was also named “Offensive Player of the Year” by the USA Today

As the younger brother of two former Division I quarterbacks – Casey and Rick Clausen, who both played at Tennessee – Jimmy Clausen gained media attention very early. During his junior season, a Sports Illustrated feature dubbed him “The Kid With the Golden Arm”. Recruiting analysts considered him a “once in a decade” quarterback talent and ranked him as the #1 overall prospect of the 2007 high school class. Because of his quick release, some in the media compared him to Joe Namath

Critics have questioned whether Clausen's success in high school was largely a product of his team – containing almost a dozen players expected to play for NCAA Division I Bowl Subdivision teams, including a highly-ranked running back, Marc Tyler – and the inferior talent level of its opponents. Further Clausen's age is a subject of criticism: he started kindergarten at six and repeated sixth grade, thus was 19½ years old on his graduation day.

On April 22, 2006, Clausen verbally committed to the University of Notre Dame. He was the most highly touted recruit for the Fighting Irish since the arrival of Ron Powlus in 1993.

Clausen, who graduated high school one semester earlier, enrolled at Notre Dame on January 16, 2007. He will compete for the starting quarterback job with then-junior Evan Sharpley and then-sophomores Demetrius Jones and Zach Frazer when spring practice starts.

--Wikipedia