As the Fighting Irish head into a new year, they have quite a few question marks. After a disappointing start to 2022 followed by a strong finish, analysts and fans alike are wondering what Notre Dame has to offer this year.
A lot of those questions will surely be answered by transfer QB Sam Hartman. While the combination of Drew Pyne and Tyler Buchner started for the Irish in 2022, they racked up just 2672 yards through the air, along with 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Meanwhile at Wake Forest, Sam Hartman completed the last two years of his career with the Deacs with 4228 yards and 38 touchdowns in 2021, along with 3701 yards and 37 touchdowns in 2022.
Heading into the 2023 season questions remain about Hartman’s ability to transfer his skillset to the NFL, and that has shown through the lack of interest earlier than the sixth round of the draft. Although this is partially due to the slow mesh offense that he ran at Wake Forest, there are flaws in his game that can be improved. Hartman is excellent when he has a solid base, however, when that gets disrupted, his accuracy starts to slip.
Despite the concerns, the positives of Hartman’s game are enough for Irish fans to be stoked for the upcoming season. First, Hartman’s experience allows for a high level of intelligence, and an ability to quickly process the field. At a position that relies upon quick thinking and the ability to make decisions on the fly, Hartman excels. Along with beautiful touch on his deep ball, Hartman is very accurate with a solid base, and with the top tier offensive line the Irish boast, Hartman will be set up with a clean pocket and a great platform to throw from.
Hartman’s impact on the Irish will be immediate and immense. With his experience not only on the football field but in the locker room, Hartman will be able to quickly fill a leadership role that the Irish desperately needed to fill. Now with Hartman at the helm and Marcus Freeman as the head man, the Irish will look to bounce back from a rare 3 loss season and return to the top half of the College Football Playoff rankings.
