Film Don't Lie | Unbalanced Dominance
Notre Dame dominated Clemson up front. That’s not up for debate.
There is no version of watching the All-22 and seeing something different than what actually happened. (Besides, you’d be watching tight line/end zone copy to watch the line, but I digress)
The numbers speak for themselves. 263 yards rushing, 5.6 yards per carry, and 3.6 yards before contact. That is a whoopin’. Clemson didn’t want that smoke.
It was more than Notre Dame’s offense winning the physical battle, though. It was a great job by the Notre Dame coaching staff of utilizing some unbalanced formations and taking advantage of them.
Clemson doesn’t have the numbers advantage to the boundary when Notre Dame lines up Michael Mayer and Mitchell Evans on the right side. We see down block from Zeke Correll, Josh Lugg, and Blake Fisher here with the pull from Jarrett Patterson on the Power call.
There’s a double team from Mayer and Evans outside on the edge defender and then Mayer gets off of that to get to the safety. Patterson has the corner, who does a pretty good job here of maintaining outside leverage and not being too aggressive because if he comes up too quickly, Logan Diggs can turn this up sooner.
This was a really well designed play and if Mayer is able to get outside leverage on the safety, Diggs might have taken this to the house. It’s an example of how a defense can load the box, but still not have an offense outmanned.
The next run wasn’t a typical formation and it’s 3rd and 10. What a smart call to go split zone (zone with the blocking one way, block the backside with the tight end the other way) because the attention on Mayer on a regular 3rd and long would be obvious. Clemson had to be laser focused on him getting the ball.
They are thinking pass, which is why they are running a T-E stunt to the left. That call with the end looping inside takes that player out of the play and leaves the outside wide open for Audric Estime. There is now no one covering that outside gap.
That is one big key to the success of this play. The other goes back to Mayer. Barrett Carter (0) is probably the one who has Mayer in man coverage. He steps with him and takes himself out of the play because of that.
It was the right call at the right time and that’s how you convert on 3rd and 10.
Notre Dame finished Clemson off by running one of their staple plays, Duo. Jason Garrett pointed out on the broadcast that they ran it two times in a row to start their final touchdown drive where they ran the ball 10 straight times.
What Garrett didn’t mention was that Notre Dame tweaked what they did with the formation on those plays, although both times they were unbalanced to the right side.
The first play has Evans and Mayer lined up beside each other on the right side and Notre Dame wins across the board here, but the key block is Evans and his reach block of the 7-technique end (inside shade of the tight end). Evans not only gets his hips around so KJ Henry can’t play his C-gap responsibility, he also drives Henry of the ball and it opens up a huge hole for Diggs to run through.
The very next play has three tight ends to the right side and Clemson failed to adjust to the extra bodies. They needed to get out of this Cross Dog blitz, but stuck with it. They are left a gap short because of it.
Whatever the playside DT here, it wouldn’t matter unless it was him absolutely kicking the snot out of Blake Fisher. If the DT plays this straight up, he is getting down blocked. He steps out to the C-gap and Fisher kicks him out instead.
That left a hole through the B-gap and Diggs took those free yards before the safety came down to make the tackle.
It was more than just “our guys are better than your guys” on Saturday night. It was also Notre Dame’s coaches getting the better of Clemson’s. Put those two together and you get a result like the one against Clemson.
Men's Under Armour White/Navy Notre Dame Fighting Irish Sideline CGI Performance Cuffed Knit Hat with Pom
