Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1322461
26 JAN. 1, 2021 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED Observations, takeaways and numbers from Notre Dame's loss to Clemson in the ACC Championship Notre Dame didn't claim a league title in its lone season in the ACC. The No. 2 Fighting Irish (10-1, 9-0 ACC) lost to Clemson (10-1, 8-1 ACC) 34-10 in the ACC Championship Dec. 19. It was their first defeat since a 45-14 loss at Michigan on Oct. 26, 2019. Here are some thoughts and numbers from the game. Bad Last Impression • The College Football Playoff selection committee is supposed to judge entire bodies of work. In that sense, this is just one of 11 games and Notre Dame should have no worries about being in the top four. But you still want to leave a good last impression, because the committee has bit on those before. This was decidedly not a favorable last showing. The Irish had to sweat a little bit after giving committee an excuse to leave them out, even if it would have been a sketchy one to use. Missed Opportunities • Notre Dame averaged 7.1 yards per play in the first quarter, yet ended it with just three points. That only happens with execution mistakes. There were plenty. A fourth-down drop and missed throw. A doinked field goal. A protec- tion breakdown. Those mattered, but didn't cost Notre Dame the game. Not on a day where fifth-year senior quarterback Ian Book was sacked six times, the run game aver- aged 3.5 yards per non-sack carry and the defense allowed 8.2 yards per play. The Irish offense averaged just 3.49 yards per play in the final three quarters. Flipping The Script • Quite a game of revenge for a Clemson offensive line that was beaten and bruised when these teams first met. It looked like a weakness that might keep the Tigers from playing for a national title or out of the CFP altogether. Instead, the front five helped pave the way for 9.0 yards per non-sack rush. No Havoc Created • Whoever would steadily move the ball on Notre Dame's defense was going to do it by avoiding havoc plays (sacks, tackles for loss, forced fumbles, passes broken up and interceptions). The Irish entered with a 22.7 percent havoc rate this season and topped 20 percent in every regular-season game. They had 10 havoc plays on Clemson's 66 snaps, a 15.1 percent rate. Turning Up The Pressure • Clemson's offense lived in third-and-long when it played Notre Dame in No- vember. The Irish learned that's not a fun existence. They had average distance of 8.9 yards to gain on third down. Notre Dame converted its first two third-down chances, both with at least five yards to gain. They were 1 of 10 after that. • Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables brought plenty of third- down pressure, and it worked. Linebacker James Skalski pressured Book on a third down each of the first two drives. One was a sack. One was a throwaway. Later, cornerback Derion Kendrick dropped Book for a sack when he came on a blitz. Five of Clemson's six sacks were on third down. Book only completed four third-down throws. • Venables' blitzing showed plenty of faith in Clemson's secondary, which stuck to receivers and limited downfield opportunities. You could see Book going through his reads and finding few things he liked. That's how coverage sacks pile up. Difference-Maker • Head coach Brian Kelly sure was right about the difference quarterback Trevor Lawrence makes as a runner for Clemson's offense. Tigers offensive co- ordinator Tony Elliott called a variety of runs for him: zone-reads, quarterback draws and even a quarterback power with two pullers leading the way. Lawrence ended the game with 12 carries for 96 yards, excluding sacks. Notre Dame's issues in run fits and edge contain were noticeable on his runs as much as anywhere else. Haymaker • Clemson running back Travis Etienne sure knows how to deal Notre Dame haymakers. His 44-yard run touchdown just before halftime delivered the same deflating feeling as his 62-yard scamper in the 2018 Cotton Bowl. Bombs Away • Clemson identified safety Shaun Crawford as a target in man-to-man de- fense, successfully schemed him into those situations and feasted. Lawrence looked off safety Kyle Hamilton and connected with Amari Rodgers for a 67- yard touchdown, Clemson's first of the game. It ended up giving the Tigers the lead for good. Crawford's one bright spot was breaking up a pass on a slant on the first drive of the third quarter to force a three-and-out. Playing Between The 20s • Notre Dame reached the red zone just once — on its second drive — and missed a field goal on its only trip down there. ✦ INITIAL THOUGHTS BY PATRICK ENGEL Clemson victimized Irish sixth-year senior safety Shaun Crawford on a 67-yard touchdown bomb to senior wideout Amari Rodgers that put the Tigers up for good. PHOTO BY KEN RUINARD-USA TODAY SPORTS/COURTESY ACC MEDIA