Notre Dame football preview 2023: Quarterback Sam Hartman

The countdown is on for Notre Dame football in 2023 as the Irish open the season on August 26 against Navy in Dublin, Ireland. After an off-season that included transfer drama, recruiting drama, and assistant coaches departing, it’s nice to be talking about actual on-the-field matters.

At Fighting Irish Wire we’re previewing the players ahead of the 2023 campaign. Will it be one of great memories for the Fighting Irish?

As we start to get hard and heavy into our season preview we take a look at the player with more pressure on him then nearly any in recent Notre Dame memory: quarterback Sam Hartman.

Measurables

Name: Sam Hartman

Height: 6-1 1/8

Weight: 210-pounds

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

High School: Oceanside Collegiate

Previous College:  Wake Forest

Year: Graduate Senior

College Stats to Date

2018: 9 games, 161-291 passing (55.3%), 1984 yards, 6.8 y/a, 8 TD, 4 INT

2019: 4 games, 55-97 (56.7%), 830 yards, 8.6 y/a, 4 TD, 2 INT

2020: 9 games, 159/273 (58.2%), 2224 yards, 8.1 y/a, 13 TD, 5 INT

2021: 14 games, 299/508 (58.9%), 4228 yards, 8.3 y/a, 39 TD, 14 INT

2022: 12 games, 270-428 (63.1%), 3701 yards, 38 TD, 12 INT

Totals: 48 games, 944-1597 (59.1), 12,967 yards, 8.1 y/a, 110 TD, 41 INT

Sam Hartman Quick Notes

• ACC record 110 touchdown passes which also ranks in the top 20 in FBS history

• Second-most passing yards in ACC history and his 12,967 career passing yards ranks in the top 20 in FBS history

• 21 career 300-yard passing games, marking the most in ACC history and he also holds single-season records in passing yards, passing touchdowns, completions, attempts, yards per game, total yards and total touchdowns

• Six passing touchdowns against Clemson in 2022 tied the most in a single game in ACC history

• Is having a previously removed rib turned into a necklace

2023 Outlook for Sam Hartman

Sam Hartman and Notre Dame are the perfect one-year marriage.  Notre Dame provides Hartman a true NFL audition in a more pro-style offense and a few more NIL bucks along the way.  Hartman provides Notre Dame one year of their most talented quarterback since at least 2009.

Notre Dame looked like a team built for 1970’s style football in 2022.  They ran the ball and barely threw the ball down the field because they simply weren’t equipped to do anything else.  The addition of Hartman, who you’ll see highlights of below, entirely changes that.

Despite a lack of experience by them, Hartman should have better receivers than he did at Wake Forest.  He’ll also play behind one of the best offensive lines in college football and have an incredibly talented backfield that will benefit from his presence.

When you add it all together this has the potential to be Notre Dame’s best offense since 2009 – and that’s with the unknowns at wide receiver and tight end and it’s due to Hartman choosing to wear blue and gold.

I don’t want to get it twisted or confused and make it seem like Hartman is a future top-five NFL draft pick.  He’s not, but he’s incredibly talented as a college quarterback and has more around him than he did at any point at Wake Forest.

The best case scenario for Hartman and Notre Dame is that he helps the Irish to wins in at least two of three against Ohio State, USC, and Clemson, and helps get that Irish to the College Football Playoff.  If he does that it’s fair to assume he’ll probably be a Heisman Trophy finalist regardless of his exact stats.

Even at his worst though, and this is still assuming health, Hartman probably eliminates the real chance of a brutal upset loss like the Irish had against Marshall and Stanford a season ago.

Hartman Highlights - 2023 Spring Practice

You’ll see this type of throw and trusting his receiver to Go Up and Get It is something Hartman thrived at during his time at Wake Forest.

From First College Start - Way Back in 2018

Hartman and Wake Forest actually played Notre Dame that season in what was Ian Book’s first start after taking the job from Brandon Wimbush.

2021 vs. Pitt

Hartman was actually just 21-46 passing in this game, throwing two touchdowns and four interceptions.  Notre Dame hosts Pitt this season.

2022 vs. Clemson - Deep to the Left Yet Again

Hartman’s six touchdown passes in this game tied an ACC record for the most thrown in a single contest.

Another from Clemson 2021

Trusts his targets to make plays but also does a great job of putting the ball in a place that only his guy can get it.  That said, he did throw 26 interceptions over his last two seasons, but that is also in part because of the mesh style offense he was running.

Hartman Photos

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More Hartman Photos (2/4)

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More Hartman Photos (3/4)

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More Hartman Photos (4/4)

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Story originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire