Clemson vs NC State: 3rd Quarter Film Review

By TolleyJenkins Nov 9, 2017, 1:55pm EST

NCAA Football: Clemson at North Carolina State

The Luddites get the ball to start the 2nd half. Spence’s kickoff is downed in the end zone(!)

NC State Ball, 15:00, NC State 25, 17-21

Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
1st and 10	10 shotgun v. 4-3	RPO stretch, Finley throws the slant for 9 yards	RPO drew in Joseph and Lamar. Muse with good coverage but Finley hits a small window. Joseph misses the tackle and the WR gets 4 extra.
2nd and 1	11 shotgun v. 4-3	PA stretch, hitch route complete to Harmon v. Mullen for a 5 yard gain	10 yards of cushion on 2nd and 1.
1st and 10	10 shotgun v. 4-3	Out route incomplete	Wilkins got through easy and flushed Finley due to miscommunication between their C and LG. Well covered by Carter.
2nd and 10	Empty v. 4-3	Tunnel screen to Samuels complete but a 4 yard loss	There's nothing more static with this D than the inability to screen on it. O'Daniel and Lamar's closing speed is ridiculous. Samuels shaken up and comes out.
3rd and 14	11 shotgun v. 3-3-5 nickel	Wheel route to Meyers in the slot caught, initially ruled a catch, but then ruled incomplete after review.	Good call to get their 6'2" WR on Carter at the sticks. Surprised this was overturned but FWIW the booth rules expert seemed confident it was the right call because he didn't secure the ball before going out. The fan reactions were gold.
4th and 14	Punt	Good punt goes out of bounds at the 10

Their LG had no shot at getting to Lamar in time.

From this angle it appears he didn’t have the ball secured.

Are they reacting to the call or did the jumbo-tron just show a picture of a laptop on Clemson’s sideline?

Clemson Ball, 13:02, Clemson 10, 17-21

Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
1st and 10	11 shotgun v. nickel	JS motion, IZ to Feaster gains 4 yards	LBs crashing downhill; they're ripe for PA passes over the middle.
2nd and 6	11 shotgun v. nickel	IZ Keeper for 2 yards	If Bryant tries to split the LBs he could have gained 3-4 more yards, but he cut laterally instead.
3rd and 4	11 shotgun v. nickel	Bryant hits Richard in the field side flat who rumbles for a 29 yard gain	Perfectly timed call as NC St. blitzed the SS off the edge. Bryant looked boundary then turned and delivered to Richard as he took a shot.
1st and 10	11 shotgun v. nickel	Out route to Cain complete for 7	Trips boundary gets Cain all alone field side versus C1. LBs still crashing down at snap. NC State is not concerned about the pass at all. Throw is high and behind Cain but he brings it down.
2nd and 3	11 shotgun v. nickel	Counter QB keeper loses 2	Pulling Hearn couldn't get to Chubb in time and Chubb trips up Bryant in the backfield. Would have been an easy first down and possibly 6 if Bryant hadn't been tripped up.
3rd and 5	11 shotgun v. nickel	QB draw goes for 4	CB on Cain showed zone so Bryant audibled (probably from a slant) to QB draw. Why not check to an out route to Cain?
4th and 1	11 shotgun v. nickel	Bryant punts it to the 2 foot yard line.	This really flipped the script as it forced State to waste one play next series moving out of their own end zone.

If not for Chubb tripping up Bryant, then there’s a good chance this goes for 6.

NC State Ball; 9:36; NC State 1; 17-21

Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
1st and 10	12 v. 4-3	QB sneak gets 2
2nd and 8	12 shotgun v. 4-3	Stretch to Hines gets 2	Hines tries to cut it back but A. Bryant is there to stop him.
3rd and 6	11 shotgun v. 3-3-5	Finley throws incomplete to Samuels	We show jailbreak but only bring 4. Samuels comes back in and lines up at TE. O'Daniel takes him with inside leverage and he's open on the out route but the throw was too high. Ferrell & Joseph's stunt allowed Joseph to get in Finley's face.
4th and 6	Punt	Good punt returned to the NC State 49

So by drop punting we get the ball back just three yards short of where we were prior.

Clemson Ball, 8:01, NC State 49, 17-21

Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
1st and 10	11 shotgun v. nickel	Jet motion counter to Etienne gets 6	Nice blocks on the pull by Richard and Hearn
2nd and 4	11 shotgun v. nickel	PA Go to Cain incomplete	They've been ripe for this for so long. Both safeties bite on the jet motion. But Bryant's throw is wide.
3rd and 4	11 shotgun v. nickel	Whip route to Renfrow incomplete	Renfrow jukes the CB on the pivot but Bryant misses him terribly. On the plus side Etienne made a nice block to pick up a stunting Bradley Chubb
4th and 4	Punt	Punt fair caught at the 10

Looked like Cain was expecting a fade but Bryant’s throw was more of a post.

A frustrating three and out, to be sure. Had Cain on the play action that we’ve been building towards but Bryant threw it wide. Then on third down Renfrow gets wide open but Bryant sails it over his head.

NC State Ball; 7:11; NC State 10, 17-21

Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
1st and 10	10 shotgun v. 4-3	Finley throws incomplete to Harmon	The WR was WIDE OPEN on the slant and go but Finley overthrew him badly. They've been setting the foundation for that all game but missed it.
2nd and 10	10 shotgun v. 4-3	Slant to Harmon incomplete	Hoping to catch Carter playing soft after the bust on the prior play but Carter is there and almost makes a one handed interception. Interestingly we have Bryant boundary side over the outside slot man to handle the tunnel screen just like the VT game.
3rd and 10	10 shotgun v. 3-3-5	Wheel route to Samuels incomplete	O'Daniel was with him step for step.
4th and 10	Punt	Faircaught at the 49.

Clemson Ball, 6:55, Clemson 49, 17-21

Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
1st and 10	11 shotgun v. nickel	Power to Etienne gets 4	Yes please. No more inside zones. LBs are still getting downhill at the snap and are so, so, so ripe for a PA
2nd and 6	11 shotgun v. nickel	PA Fade to Overton thrown out of bounds	For the love of God can we please execute a PA?! Bryant can't hit the fades today so I'd like to see some PA posts & digs. They're loading the box almost every play.
3rd and 6	11 shotgun v. nickel	Bryant wanted the out to Amari field side but pressure forced him to scramble, before he could throw it, towards the boundary, where finds Cain for the first down.	Wow. Just when I'm about fed up with Bryant's passing he does this. He ran 20 yards behind the LOS to avoid three rushers, then completed the throw to Cain on the run. Cain ran a shallow cross, then reverted towards the boundary when he saw Bryant scrambling. Great play by Bryant and veteran play by Cain.

I want to say this was a big confidence boost for Bryant, but on the other hand the play was necessitated because neither of our Guards blocked a soul

When the entirety of your protection is looking back at your QB 20 yards behind the LOS, good things are not usually happening.

Clemson drive cont.

Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
1st and 10	11 shotgun v. nickel	Jet motion power QB keeper gets 4	Jet motion pulled the CB fire's path a bit outside giving Bryant some room inside. But if this were a true read then he should have given. Due to the CB fire the jet could have been a big play. We still haven't run a jet screen all game and it's there if we want it.
2nd and 5	11 shotgun v. nickel	Bryant hits Cain for a 12 yard catch	Easy out route to Cain against soft coverage.
1st and 10	11 shotgun v. nickel	RPO, Bryant throws to Rodgers in the flat for 5	Amari gets hit at the LOS but breaks a tackle to get 5.
2nd and 5	11 shotgun v. nickel	Jet motion counter QB keeper gets 8	Jet motion took 2 defenders out of the play. Falci and Anchrum pull and block the same man, but Bryant gets to the edge and delivers another stiff arm.
1st and Goal at the 7	11 shotgun v. nickel	Option pitch to Etienne for a TD called back due to a chop block	Eh. Crowder really hit, Falci not the DT.
1st and Goal at the 21	11 shotgun v. nickel	Jet motion counter QB keeper	We're finally getting away from the IZ and seeing a lot more powers and counters.
2nd and Goal at the 12	11 shotgun v. nickel	Fade rout to Cain complete for the TD	Cain and the CB had the field side all to themselves. Great job by Bryant to throw wide where the CB wouldn't have a play.

NC State Ball, 3:25, NC State 17, 24-21

Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
1st and 10	11 pistol v. 4-3	Stretch to Hines gets 3	Wilkins was engaged but tackled Hines with his left arm.
2nd and 7	11 pistol v. 4-3	RPO bubble screen complete for loss of 1	Hi. You don't screen on Ryan Carter
3rd and 8	11 shotgun v. 3-3-5	Finley completes a 23 yard comeback	Two man rush and we drop into what is basically Tampa 2 zone. Finley has all day. Hits the comeback and Wallace misses the tackle.
1st and 10	10 shotgun v. 4-3	Fade to Harmon incomplete	Good coverage by Carter. Throw was OOB.
2nd and 10	11 pistol v. 4-3	Hitch against soft coverage gets 8	Van misses the tackle and WR gets 3 more.
3rd and 2	11 pistol v. 4-3	Direct snap to Samuels gets 1	Everyone knew what was coming once Finley motioned wide. Wilkins closes the gap and Ferrell and Dexy are there to crash on Samuels.
4th and 1	Punt	Punt fair caught by Renfrow at the 11	Thank God they punted.

Clemson Ball, 0:05, Clemson 11, 24-21

Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
1st and 10	11 shotgun v. nickel	Power to Feaster goes for 89 yards and a TOUCHDOWN	Richard sealed the WLB, Hearn kicked out the MLB, and the SS took the wrong gap.

It was a field position battle early, but Clemson finally starting putting up some points with the aid of powers, counters, and short throws by Bryant. One lingering question is where’d the tempo go we saw against GT?