Notre Dame 23 Clemson 13: Halftime Analysis

Notre Dame leads Clemson 23-13 at the half and All Clemson goes back and reviews the first half of play from South Bend.

Not quite the kind of start the top-ranked Tigers had envisioned. 

Shorthanded or not, this Clemson football team prides itself on playing to a standard and through one half of play, the Tigers are not doing that. Two costly turnovers have the Tigers in a ten point hole headed into halftime.

Halftime Analysis:

• The big story of the first half is that Travis Etienne has fumbled in a fourth consecutive game and like last week, the fumble tonight was returned for a touchdown. That just can not happen in a game of this magnitude. 
• Notre Dame is winning the battle at the line of scrimmage and on both sides of the ball. 
• Overall the Tigers turned it over twice, leading to 10 Notre Dame points.
• The Irish are averaging well over 6 YPC. However, those numbers are a little skewed by the big 65-yard touchdown run by Kyren Williams on the games second play from scrimmage. Run defense must tighten up in the second half. Linebackers have to be better with their run fits. Force Notre Dame into some second and third and long situations.
• Once again, the interior of the Clemson offensive line just can not open up any running lanes for Travis Etienne. The Tigers have rushed the ball 10 times for just 5 yards. Not what you'd expect from a championship caliber team.
• Where are the Clemson tight ends? Braden Galloway had a big 27-yard catch late in the half, but outside of that, they've had no impact on the passing game. Freshman quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei needs someone besides Amari Rodgers and Cornell Powell to step up and make some plays in the passing game and using the tight ends could open up some things across the middle of the field.
• Speaking of Uiagalelei, could the coaches go with more designed quarterback runs in the second half to help open up the running game. 
• Overall just not a sharp performance in that first half. Dabo Swinney coached teams have a reputation of coming out sharp in these big, primetime matchups on the road and tonight that did not seem to be the case. However, the Tigers are only down ten, so they are very much still in this one.