Clemson’s defense is going to see an offense unlike any it’s seen this season Saturday.
The Tigers’ preparation for it, defensive coordinator Wesley Goodwin, starts with their mental approach.
“You better have a physical mindset on Saturday night,” Goodwin said.
That’s when the Tigers will return to action against a Notre Dame offense that’s run the ball more than any of their first eight opponents. In fact, only 21 FBS teams have attempted more rushes than the Fighting Irish, who enter Saturday’s game with the nation’s 36th-ranked rush offense (186.6 yards per game).
Notre Dame does it with three different backs and out of a variety of formations. Some of them include multiple tight ends and occasionally even some jumbo 14 personnel (one back, four tight ends). Audric Estime enters this week’s game with 99 carries as the Fighting Irish’s primary back (558 rushing yards, eight rushing TDs), but Logan Diggs (95 carries) and Chris Tyree (78) aren’t far behind.
The trio has rotated throughout the season, helping keep each fresh for a Notre Dame offense scoring just north of 28 points per game. More than half of the Fighting Irish’s offensive touchdowns have come on the ground (14 of 27).
“It’s old-school football, no question,” Goodwin said. “But they also do a great job of attacking you formationally and use a lot of motions as well. At times, they line up in just basic formations and you know what you’re getting with straight downhill runs. But there are also times where they shift and motion and get you into some issues there. So we’ve got to do a great job with adjustments, communication out back and make sure everyone is one the same page and aligned properly pre-snap.”
With Notre Dame struggling to balance out its rushing attack with the nation’s 106th-ranked pass offense, slowing down the ground game has been one of the primary keys to victory against the Fighting Irish this season. Notre Dame has rushed for 150 yards or fewer in each of its three losses. The Fighting Irish didn’t score more than 21 points in any of those games either.
Still, even with Clemson countering with the nation’s seventh-best rush defense (87.9 yards allowed per game), Goodwin knows that will be easier said than done.
“That’s the No. 1 thing is our guys have to show up with the right mindset,” Goodwin said. “It’s championship football. It’s big-boy football. A bring-your-pads-and-let’s-go-to-work mentality.”
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