Halftime Analysis: Offense shaky as Irish lead after first half

Swanson has his punt blocked by the Irish. (Photo: Matt Cashore / USATODAY)

by Nikki Hood - Staff Writer - Sat Nov 05 20:56:37 GMT-04:00 2022

SOUTH BEND, IN – After a week to prepare, Clemson couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start.

A blocked punt, an almost six-minute drive at the end of the half put Notre Dame up 14-0 at intermission.

Fourth-ranked Clemson had just 71 yards of offense. DJ Uiagalelei was just 9-of-12 for 41 yards.

Can the Tigers regroup in the locker room and find a spark on offense in the second half to remain unbeaten?

PLAYERS OF THE HALF: Trenton Simpson had a good half for the defense with six tackles and a pass breakup. Offensively, Will Shipley has seven carries for 52 yards – a 7.4 yard per carry average.

STAT OF THE HALF: The last time Clemson was shut out in the first half was last year’s season opener against Georgia. The Tigers lost to 10-3.

WHAT’S WORKING FOR THE TIGERS: Clemson’s defense had been playing really well until the final drive of the first half when Notre Dame marched down the field for its first offensive touchdown of the game. Before the final drive, Clemson’s defense had given up just 85 yards of total offense.

WHAT’S NOT WORKING FOR THE TIGERS: Offense. The offense is not working. Will Shipley has had a couple of good runs up the middle, but other than a couple of passes down the field, everything has been at or behind the line of scrimmage. I don’t know if the wind is a factor in the playcalling. Is quarterback DJ Uiagalelei playing timid after being benched in the Syracuse game? We don’t know and probably won’t know those answers, but something’s got to give.

The defense is playing winning football, but they can’t do it all.

WHAT THE TIGERS NEED TO DO WIN: Find some spark and rhythm on offense. The Tigers had one decent drive but turned it over on downs in Irish territory. That fourth-down play tells part of the Tigers' problems - Uiagalelei had two open receivers underneath but went long into double-coverage on fourth down. It was incomplete. The Clemson defense more than held its own, but the Irish find something in the running game. They controlled the clock and the line of scrimmage in the second quarter. Clemson's defense has to take that back.