Closer Look: Grades from Clemson's night at Notre Dame

DJ Uiagalelei wasn't a factor in the run game until it was too late in South Bend.

by Brandon Rink - Staff Writer - Mon Nov 07 08:28:03 GMT-04:00 2022

Notre Dame flexed its muscle in all three phases to hand Clemson its first loss of the season in dominating fashion Saturday, 35-14.

Taking a closer look at results with the aid of Pro Football Focus:

Offense

Unit grade notes: It’s not a pretty situation with the lowest grade overall (59) and offensively (54.1) since being held without a TD against Georgia last year (57.1 overall/49.8 offensively). The passing grade was the lowest (43.6) since a 2014 game where Deshaun Watson suffered a leg injury early at Georgia Tech (30). That’s also two grades below 60 in a row passing (58.1 vs. Syracuse) for the first time since a three-game stretch late last year against UConn (56.8), Wake Forest (57.9) and South Carolina (57.9). Also on the low end? The run blocking graded at 50.1, which was the lowest since that same 2021 Georgia opener (45.6).

QBs - The trend is obviously troubling for third-year Tiger and second-year starter DJ Uiagalelei, who's posted back-to-back worst grades of the season in both overall (54.6 v. Syracuse; 52.3 v. Notre Dame) and passer grade (53.9 v. Syracuse; 50.6 v. Notre Dame). And those are his worst marks as a starter passing to this point. The Tigers clearly planned to attack the perimeter and that showed with 12 attempts behind the line of scrimmage overall, and those didn’t lead to big plays as Uiagalelei didn't have an explosive pass (16+ yards) until after Notre Dame seized a 28-0 lead in the fourth quarter. Uiagalelei also had his lowest rushing attempt total against an FBS foe this season (2).

Uiagalelei was sat mid-game for a second-straight game, but the circumstances didn’t keep that further than a drive. Extra inspection did freshman QB Cade Klubnik’s one pass attempt few favors (26.6 passer grade), as it resulted in an interception deep in Clemson territory.

RB Will Shipley - Shipley’s first eight carries went for 52 yards through Clemson’s last possession with time to drive in the first half, and he tacked on just 11 yards rushing from there after topping 100 rushing yards in back-to-back previous games -- averaging above six yards per carry in each. He finished with a 65.6 run grade, which was his second-lowest of the season (60.1 v. Wake) and he was limited to 17 receiving yards on five catches as well. Shipley was knocked for his three pass-blocking attempts (22.3) to bring down his overall grade. After being a 1-2 punch against Syracuse (94 rushing yards on 18 carries), Phil Mafah was limited to three carries for 11 yards.

LT Jordan McFadden - McFadden graded out best offensively (71.2) with the highest mark as a pass blocker (76.2).

WR Beaux Collins - It was a tough night for Collins, who was negatively involved in three plays of Clemson’s first offensive drive (two penalties; an obstacle to a tackle for loss) and later injured his shoulder to be out at least the upcoming week. He did bring in a catch for the first time in three games (two catches for 18 yards) but graded a low among starters Saturday night (46.9).

Defense

Unit grade notes: The defense shared in the season-lows with its worst PFF grade overall this season (66.7) with pedestrian-to-poor efforts in coverage (61.3) run defense (66.4) tackling (68.3) and pass rush (69.9). It’s the lowest overall grade defensively since the Pitt loss last October (66.5).

LB Barrett Carter - Carter didn’t post anywhere near his highest-grade of the season (68.3) but tallied six tackles and allowed just 5.8 yards per reception in six targets his way.

DT Tyler Davis - Davis notched the top grade among defensive starters (70.4) with a tackle, a QB hurry and a batted pass.

LB Trenton Simpson - Simpson was active but his grading was on the lower side in a couple areas. He registered a team-leading eight tackles with a batted pass, but his rush defense grade was among the lowest (56.9), as well as his overall mark (57.1). In addition to Simpson, starters with run defense grades at 65 or lower also included Sheridan Jones (62.6), Bryan Bresee (61.1), KJ Henry (55.6) and Nate Wiggins (54.5).

LB Keith Maguire - Maguire had the top PFF grade of defenders who played 20-plus snaps (72.7) with three stops.

DT Payton Page - Page led Clemson in defensive grade (75) over 14 snaps with two tackles.