First Half Analysis: Notre Dame Leads NC State 17-7

Notre Dame heads into half of a weather delayed first half with a 17-7 lead. Here are my first half thoughts and analysis.

NOTRE DAME OFFENSE

*** The Irish offense sputtered for much of the first half, only getting on the board thanks to a pair of long plays. Running back Audric Estime's 80-yard touchdown run got the Irish its first touchdown of the game, and Chris Tyree went for 65 yards to set up a Jaden Greathouse touchdown late in the half.

*** Notre Dame's offensive line has been feast or famine in the game. They did a great job opening up the hole for Estime on the 80-yard score. It was on an overload formation they had used earlier that almost sprung Jadarian Price for a touchdown. They lined up in twins, but put Joe Alt over on the right side to give them a heavy look and then ran Power. The first time Price went for 9 and was a safety tackle in space away from scoring. The second time the downfield blocking by Jayden Thomas sprung Estime loose.

*** Outside of that the line has largely struggled to get movement up front. NC State is beating them with speed, and too often the guards are either too slow off the ball, or they stop working their feet. The run game has been very slow developing because of this, and the numbers show that. Outside of the 80-yard run by Estime the Irish have generated just 32 yards on the ground. Most of the run game was downhill, and NC State has also loaded the box against Notre Dame's 12 and 13 personnel, which has made it a bit tougher to get bodies on everyone in the run game.

*** Pass pro has been erratic, and the offense is giving up too many hits on the quarterback. I say offense because not all are on the line. The line has had its fair share of problems, but Hartman hasn't been able to get hot reads off when they can't block a guy scheme wise. NC State has run some inside DL twists that are freeing up backers, which has to get adjusted.

*** Notre Dame's pass game has also been feast or famine. Hartman has 110 yards on two completions, the 65-yard gain to Tyree and a 45-yard gain to Tobias Merriweather on an In cut over the middle to convert a 1st-and-20. The pass game has been off all game long outside of that. You have a drop from Jayden Thomas, Hartman misread a converted go route, he missed Holden Staes open on a slide route and he didn't see Jeremiyah Love come free on a wheel route on the final drive of the half. Fortunately he did a great job of staying poised, moving around and finding Tyree down the field on a scramble that went for 65 yards. That set them up for the huge final score, which turned a 10-7 game into a 17-7 game.

*** Notre Dame will need to find ways to get the ball outside of the heavy inside looks, both with the run game and pass game. They'll also need to find a way to get Hartman more time to throw. There are some openings downfield if he can get more time.

NOTRE DAME DEFENSE

Notre Dame has been outstanding on defense in the first half, outside of a penalty ridden final drive. NC State had just 122 yards of offense in the first half, and much of that came on the final drive.

*** Al Golden has been all over the NC State offense. The Irish have a good read on the NC State run game, and when they've run outside it looks as if Notre Dame sees a tell and they fly to it, but they've also kept good backside discipline on those pressures. The only call I didn't like was dropping 7 on the touchdown, which allowed Armstrong to get out of the pocket unscathed and allowed him to find a receiver and get off a clean throw on the run.

*** Up front the Irish aren't dominating, but they are playing good football. They've been gap correct (with one questionable play, but not sure if it was the DL, the LB or the call). They are stout against the run and are resetting the line in their favor. Their push up front, and the ability of the DE's to set the edge is a big reason NC State has just 39 rushing yards in the first half.

*** Defensive tackle Howard Cross III has been the most disruptive interior player for the Irish. He has been stout at the line of scrimmage and has worked hard to keep his gaps filled. Edge Javontae Jean-Baptiste has been good on the edge and been getting a good push, and NaNa Osafo-Mensah did a really nice job dropping under a bubble throw that went incomplete, and sniffing out a

*** Linebacker Marist Liufau has been outstanding in the first two quarters. He's flying around the field and making plays as a pass rusher and in the run game. He did a great job sniffing out a tunnel screen and blowing it up for a 2-yard loss. NC State tried to beat Liufau with a throwback or a wheel route three different times in hopes of catching him either blitzing, or hoping he'd fail to see the back. Liufau read it perfectly every time and sniffed it out every time. Excellent half from him.

*** The linebackers as a whole have been solid in this game. Their pressures have been solid, their run defense has been solid, run fits have been solid and I have just one missed tackle so far from the backers. Jack Kiser did make a mental mistake on a punt, jumping offsides and giving the NC State offense a first down.

*** Cornerback Cam Hart was really good in the first half, blowing up perimeter runs and throws and locking down NC State receivers. Benjamin Morrison has been up and down. Overall his coverage was outstanding, although he got beat on the touchdown. His personal foul that gave NC State a first down on the touchdown drive was a really immature play.

*** This is the most active we've seen the safeties all season, and they played a very good first half. Xavier Watts has been all over the field, DJ Brown has been good in space against the run and they have done a good job playing over the top. Thomas Harper had a rough final series as well, but he was very good outside of that, sniffing out routes, driving on quick throws and breaking up a seam throw.

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