First Half Analysis: Notre Dame Leads Syracuse 21-7

First half analysis of the Notre Dame vs Syracuse game, which Notre Dame leads 21-7.

NOTRE DAME OFFENSE

*** Notre Dame OC Tommy Rees had one of his more creative first halves from a personnel standpoint. Notre Dame started in 22 personnel with Audric Estime at fullback, and it gave him the ball to start the game. We saw 11 personnel, 12 personnel, 21 personnel and 13 personnel. The Irish had different receivers in different groups, and we saw Tobias Merriweather and Deion Colzie on the field together, which is good.

*** The run game wasn't as inside-out as it needs to be, but they ran more Duo with Estime and used Logan Diggs on Inside Zone, which are better fits for both.

*** Notre Dame's first half success has a lot to do with the line. Notre Dame's blockers are absolutely bullying Syracuse and blowing the undersized line off the ball. Center Zeke Correll has been really good so far. Right guard Josh Lugg got beat inside on a goal line run but outside of that he has probably played his best half of the season. Notre Dame pushed Syracuse off the ball the entire half and racked up 110 yards on the ground.

*** On the long run to Diggs in the first half the Irish ran Inside Zone and the defensive end slanted across Joe Alt's face, and the Irish blocker drive him inside. Diggs read it perfectly, bounced it outside and then set the linebacker up wide before getting vertical for the big gain. Diggs has been running hard, but his reads have been sharp.

*** The issue for Notre Dame has been the inability to make enough plays in the pass game and once again, sloppy play and missed opportunities. Quarterback Drew Pyne sailed a 3rd-and-3 pass in Syracuse territory over Michael Mayer's head, forcing a field goal that was missed. On the next drive, Alt had a false start that eliminated a potential touchdown. Merriweather ran a seam route from the number two spot in trips and he was about to come wide open when the whistle blew. The Irish punted on that series. Right before the half, Notre Dame was driving and Pyne stared down Mayer in an attempt to throw a seam throw, it was tipped and intercepted.

*** Notre Dame recovered and got a late score. Pyne hit Mayer on a wheel route for a big play (37 yards), and then Rees called a well designed play-action out of a tight 13 personnel look for the touchdown. It was a nice bounceback series from Pyne and the offense.

*** The scheme has been good, the line is dominating and Notre Dame out-played Syracuse for much of the half, but going into the break the game is just 21-7, and one of those scores was from the defense. The missed opportunities on offense and the missed field goal are keeping Notre Dame from being up something like 31-7, or even more. If the offense can play a cleaner second half they could really turn this into a rout.

NOTRE DAME DEFENSE

*** Safety Brandon Joseph got things started off right with a pick six on the first play of the game. Syracuse went with a 3x1 alignment and Joseph was lined up off, but Notre Dame rolled to a single high look and he had man. The quarterback didn't read it properly and Joseph jumped all over the slant route, stepped in front for the pick and then made great moves to get into the end zone.

*** Poor penalties and a coverage mistake allowed Syracuse to respond with a score. Defensive end Isaiah Foskey had a personal foul after the play on the touchdown, and then a questionable facemask allowed Syracuse to start the drive near midfield. Notre Dame got into a 3rd-and-7, but Ramon Henderson got out-leveraged on a motion slide and the perimeter of the defense didn't get off blocks to get to the ball. The drive ended in a Cover 0 play where Benjamin Morrison got beat for a touchdown.

*** After that the Irish defense was dominant. They completely shut down the Syracuse ground attack. Syracuse's big line is getting driven back, and nose tackle Chris Smith has been especially good at the point of attack. On the outside runs, the Irish big ends are doing a great job of setting the edge and funneling everything back inside. The interior defensive line has been brilliant, and sophomore Gabriel Rubio is having the best game of his career. There is just nowhere to run. The Vyper edge setting has been a bit more sporadic, but still overall good.

*** Rylie Mills has been outstanding as well. He's too quick for the Syracuse blockers and he's had multiple pressures. Syracuse can't block him. Isaiah Foskey has been up and down. He has not been great as a pass rusher but he had two great cover plays where he ran with Sean Tucker on wheel routes.

*** Even more impressive is the line is dominating despite constantly being held, with no calls.

*** The Irish linebackers have been outstanding, especially JD Bertrand. He's playing fast, he's making great reads and he's beating blockers to the point of attack. He blew up a key third-down screen and he's been very, very active in the run game. His blitzes have also been well-timed and effective.

*** Morrison gave up the inside too easily on a post route, but outside of that he's been quite good in coverage, and Syracuse is going at him, that's for sure.

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