In Notre Dame’s dramatic 47-40 double-overtime victory versus Clemson on Nov. 7, one stat was the most glaring: The Fighting Irish out-rushed the Tigers by a 208-34 count.
It reflected a control of the line of scrimmage — especially Notre Dame’s defense limiting all-time ACC rushing leader Travis Etienne to 28 yards on 18 carries. It was an about-face from the College Football Playoff meeting between the two programs in December 2018 when Clemson out-rushed Notre Dame 211-88 en route to a 30-3 victory.
What is somewhat overlooked is the Irish defense didn’t do poorly against Etienne in that 2018 game either — other than one missed fit in the second half on third-and-one when the Tigers already had a 23-3 lead. Etienne broke free for a 62-yard score to seal the verdict. Otherwise, his other 13 carries in the contest totaled only 47 yards (3.6 yards per carry).
Likewise last month, Notre Dame’s Kyren Williams on the opening play from scrimmage busted free for a 65-yard touchdown. After that, Clemson’s defense fared relatively well against Williams, limiting him to 75 yards on 22 attempts (3.4 yards per carry).
Making a huge difference in the rushing totals were the constant Houdini-like escapes by Irish quarterback Ian Book from the relentless Clemson blitzes — with wonderful assists on many occasions from Williams on blitz pick-ups. For all the pressures dialed up by Tigers defensive coordinator Brent Venables, Book lost only eight yards behind the line of scrimmage while dropping back approximately 50 times to pass.
The quarterback ended up scrambling for 67 crucial yards while continually frustrating Clemson with his improvisation and instincts to escape the pass rush and blitzes.
“We have very few designed runs for him, because part of who he is, is that you’re going to get some runs from him within the offense,” Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said of Book. “What we have done is called some pass plays that have the run opportunities in them if he doesn't like what he sees.”
Instead of a standard RPO (run-pass option) by the Irish, it’s more of PRO (pass-run option) with Book. Call them resourceful designed runs.
“That's by design because of his ability to see the field really well,” Kelly explained.
Book was Notre Dame’s second-leading rusher last season with 546 yards and 4.9 yards per carry. In just 10 games so far this year he is No. 2 again with 465 yards, 5.1 yards per carry and eight touchdowns. His 1,497 rushing yards at Notre Dame are second all time at the position to Tony Rice (1987-89), who eclipsed 2,000 with bowl games included during his halcyon days with the Fighting Irish that included a school-record 23-game winning streak. The current Irish are at 16.
Meanwhile, back on Nov. 7, Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei finished with a net two yards on 13 carries versus the Irish and was not a factor as a running threat the way Book was.
With Heisman candidate Trevor Lawrence back at quarterback in the Clemson lineup, the Tigers likely will make it a mandate to be far more effective with the run against Notre Dame.
Lawrence’s skills as a runner are underrated (similar to Book). Last year as a sophomore he rushed for 563 yards, 5.5 yards per carry and nine touchdowns, which were similar to Book’s 2019 totals. His 67-yard touchdown run versus Ohio State in the CFP semifinal last year displayed his often overshadowed abilities as a running threat.
During the 45-10 victory at Virginia Tech Dec. 5, Clemson placed a premium on running the football instead of Lawrence throwing it all over the yard — almost like it was a scrimmage to better prepare for Notre Dame. Lawrence was, by today’s standards, a modest 12 of 22 for 195 yards while the Tigers ran for 238, including 41 and two scores on seven carries by Lawrence.
“There may be a little bit more activation of quarterback runs,” Kelly said of facing Lawrence instead of Uiagalelei. “… We’re well aware of what that scheme is in terms of the quarterback run scheme. Just being a little bit more locked into some quarterback runs, perhaps, would be the only slight difference.”
Still, Kelly believes everything comes out even in the wash with regard to personnel after having played previously.
“Maybe what you lose in terms of tendencies and breaking tendencies, you pick up in getting a better in-depth knowledge of where to attack and having complements off of that,” he said. “… More than anything else this becomes much more of a physical presence and playmakers making plays, and then the fundamentals.
“I don't think this game is about who out-schemes who … it comes down to those three elements that I just articulated.”
That likely includes quarterbacks as effective runners and escape artists.
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