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Our first 3 drives took 24 plays and 13 minutes of clock total. After that, we were 3 plays, 4 plays, 3 plays, 5 plays, 4 plays, each ending in a Punt. Clemson went from 7 points to 31 during that stretch, and it was barely halfway through the 3rd.

by simply not consistently putting together drives.

This was my biggest complaint about Weis' supposed great offenses... they were most often feast or famine so in the end the stats looked like 'oh good offense, but our defense sucks' but more often than not those yards/points came when we were already down big because our defense was hung out to dry from multiple consecutive 3 and outs.

This year's team has been pretty good about not doing that, until the second Clemson game... I wouldn't be surprised if down the road when all dust settles we found out the Kelly panicked and took 'more' control of play calling during that stretch. Things just seemed eerily familiar during a lot of that game and it hasn't felt like that the rest of the season.

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And therein lies the rub. Powell is the #1 so resources were targeted at slowing him down, thereby leaving Crawford on an island with Rodgers.

I think Prior should have gotten a shot after Crawford got beat on the first big TD.

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Clemson's WR situation is akin to what we had in 2005, when Maurice Stovall and Jeff Samardzija were both essentially bona fide #1 WR's. If Rhema McKnight hadn't gotten hurt early in that season, we could have had a third #1 WR.

I too was surprised since Rodgers gave us headaches both games. Either way ND will have a similar pick-yer-poison proposition with Bama's Waddle (who looks to be coming back in time) and Devonta Smith.

Someone will be in isolation with one of those dudes.

Defense liabiltes

1. Clemson added RB's as blockers in backfield
2. Trevor Lawrence quickness in releasing ball
3. Trevor Lawrence running
4. Skill set of Clemson receivers
5. Offense not moving ball

Do note defense allowed only one more point that 11/7 game

I thought the pass rush made it difficult to cover. Remember too that with Lawrence's ability to move the defensive backs are in a difficult position of coming up versus staying with the receiver and giving up huge yards. It throws everyone off and Lawrence then with his passing ability can have big plays right in front of him. Remember every QB I have heard speak hates a pass rush more than anything. We don't have Okwara anymore and Hayes and company are just not quite as good. We do stop the run well when it is in normal down and distance situations. I do have faith that improvements will be made on both sides of the ball. Thank God we have a chance to come back after the horrible performance.

Lawrence recognizes the coverage pre snap. ND was in single high with Hamilton as safety.

Lawrence has his match up, Crawford on Rodgers. He’s going to this the entire time but now he has to make it work.

Here is what sets Lawrence apart. He knows Hamilton doesn’t have run responsibility. ND already has numbers in the box. The Play Action isn’t going to make Hamilton bite.

So he has to look him off and he does a masterful job. As soon as Hamilton makes the slights move towards the opposite side of Rodgers he makes the throw to Rodgers.

Crawford was beat, Hamilton was late, throw was on the money.

Even if Crawford wasn’t beat, Lawrence was throwing to Rodgers to see if he could make a play since ND was committing to the run based on their look.

1. And nobody has given me an answer. Why/how did we allow Crawford to be isolated on Rogers? Couldn't he have switched with Lewis or the other corner?

2. You describe Hamilton's mistake exactly. If he sees Crawford on Rogers, why not reduce risk and cheat to Crawford's side? Don't even pay attention to where Lawrence is looking. You have a choice of providing definite help at the weakest point OR try to be too smart by half and follow the QB's eyes. It's not like you don't know Lawrence is back there and is capable of anything. Leave Lewis on an island and help your weak link.

Maybe that's not reasonable. I don't know.

1. Great question. They were playing man coverage so in theory you could create the match ups you wanted. As to why, I don’t know. Could be the felt it was a better match up. Could be the expected more help from Hamilton. Could be they are just more comfortable with Crawford not on the outside.

2. Agree, I think Hamilton made a big mistake. I have to imagine Lea wasn’t expecting him to cheat to either side .

I also am not sure why that early they were playing that coverage. To me, seems like you don’t want to give up a big play that early, which that defense leaves you susceptible to. Play two high safety, if they drive down the field, so be it, but make them earn it. Plus it makes them take some time off the clock.

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receiver to be able to get open easily.

where Lawrence shows keep either way, reads the ILB to see if he vacates the A gap on the backside, and if ILB does then Lawrence either counters with keep or hands off to Etienne into the vacated gap. The counter undresses the safety with backside responsibility. They set this up nicely earlier by doing QB sneak , making the ILB on backside think they will again sneak straight (without counter). They also burned us with this in the 2018 game in late 2d half resulting in a long Etienne TD run to cap their scoring. Again both games involved blitzkrieg scoring in 2d Q that sealed it.

at the same level as previous game.

We made them one dimensional in the first game and any time you do that it gives you an advantage.

I get it - he's a big kid and a great athlete. But defensive linemen have GOT to be able to bring him down when they get a hold of him.

Small, sometimes forgotten plays matter

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They played downhill in the first game. Lawrence running and RPO game had them off balance.

IMHO, when you play defense you have to make a read and live with it. You’re better off going 100 mph and blowing up the wrong read than 50 mph, late, to the right read.

Second half they seemed to get it together.

mbling for yards.

Not allowing Crawford to be isolated like that seems like it could have eliminated a couple of those plays. I'm no expert though.