Dabo Swinney took the zoomed-out view, and it’s one worth mentioning before performing more thorough autopsies.
Asked to discuss the alikeness or difference between the 2018 and 2020 Notre Dame defenses he studied and coached against, Clemson’s head coach sees plenty of overlap.
“Very similar. They’re built up front, incredibly well-coached,” Swinney said. “This is as well-coached a team as you’re going to see. They don’t make a lot of mistakes. They tackle well.
“The biggest thing is they’re really, really good.”
On this, Swinney is correct. Both iterations were indispensable ingredients in undefeated regular seasons. Both held opponents below 18 points per game and ranked in the top 30 in yards per play. This year’s Irish defense is ninth in SP+ and 10th in defensive FEI. The 2018 unit finished in a similar area, at 10th in SP+ and 16th in DFEI. Both allowed fewer than 2.9 points per opponent trip inside the 40-yard line.
Zoom in a bit more, though, and the variations in each high-level defense’s modus operandi become clearer.
The 2018 unit was based on everyone doing his job, with the requisite skill level to win a lot of snaps when the offense was assignment-sound. Players beating plays. Notre Dame’s best against an opponent’s best often went in favor of the Irish in their march to 12-0. They flexed superior talent and coaching. Disruption and negative plays weren’t a hallmark. But neither were chunk gains.
From a talent perspective, that defense had three draft picks on the line, another at linebacker and three more in the secondary. Defensive tackle Jerry Tillery was a first-rounder. Linebacker Drue Tranquill and cornerbacks Julian Love and Troy Pride Jr. were fourth-round picks. Defensive end Julian Okwara went in the third round. Linebacker Te’Von Coney wasn’t drafted, but he was the leading tackler.
