Goodwin expects big boy, bring your pads, old school football from Notre Dame

Goodwin expects big boy football against Notre Dame.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Mon Oct 31 13:57:43 GMT-04:00 2022

CLEMSON – Defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin took time during the open date to perform a little self-scouting, but now rest time is over and he knows his defense will have to show up and play its most physical game of the season Saturday night in South Bend.

No. 5 Clemson takes on Notre Dame Saturday night at 7:30 pm (NBC) in venerable Notre Dame Stadium. The Irish stand 5-3 overall but have won two in a row after a loss to Stanford in mid-October. Clemson was off last week after eight games to open the season, and Goodwin says he spent his time looking at the entirety of his defense.

“Definitely a chance to get a head start on those guys but also a chance to kind of look at yourself,” Goodwin said Monday. “Where you started and kind of where you ended up week eight. A chance to review the problems within the season and chance to get healthy and refreshed and a couple of good days in on these guys (Notre Dame).

“I've seen our team definitely improve throughout the season. I saw a lot of young guys get some good exposure early on, but guys are improving their technique, playing with more confidence, belief and trusting the scheme, and trusting themselves. We had a chance to work on basic fundamental tackling last week and got a chance to improve. There was a chance to reinstall some of our run fits, a refresher course on some of the details that kind of get left out throughout the season. Just a great opportunity to learn and teach our football team as part of the self-scouting.”

Goodwin expects Notre Dame to be physical.

“Their physicality in the run game, you know that you have to stop that,” Goodwin said. “You have to stop the run game and the ball is going to 87 (tight end Michael Mayer). You know, they have some other players that they spread it around, too. But those running backs, the three backs, they all get about the same carries. It'll be a challenge. Stop the run game and then in the passing game, 87 (Mayer, who has 47 receptions) has all the targets. And then their physicality up front (will present a challenge).”

Notre Dame ran the ball over 50 times against Syracuse last week and, at one point ran four tight ends on the field to block. Goodwin said that is all part of the Notre Dame mindset.

“You expect it with those guys for sure. It's a big part of what they do offensively,” Goodwin said. “I think, first and foremost, you better have a physical mindset on Saturday night. That's the number one thing is our guys have to show up with the right mindset. It's championship football, big boy football, bring your pads, let's go to work mentality. And structurally, you also have to help those guys out with their pre-snap alignments. Those guys want to stay on their double teams and move the guys up front. And so you have to do a good job of getting them off double teams. And then once you get them off the double teams you have the chance to win your one-on-one match-up.

“There’s no doubt it's an old-school football, no question. But they also do a great job of attacking you formationally and use a lot of motions as well. So, at times, they line up just basic formations, and you know you're getting a straight downhill run, but there are also times where they shift in motion and get you into some issues there. And so we got to do a great job with adjustments and communication out back and make sure everyone's on the same page and aligned properly pre-snap.”