Notre Dame football: Irish Can Rise In Hartman’s Hands
The Notre Dame Football Blue & Gold game was quite the adventure Saturday afternoon. On and off the field. Off the field, those of us that did attend the game enjoyed a mix of sun, rain, sleet, and snow as our official welcome back to South Bend!
In terms of on-field revelations, the Irish faithful got a glimpse of what the 2023 squad may look like In Dublin late this summer. No position group garnered as much attention before and after the game as the quarterback battle. Sam Hartman operated about as well as one could hope a sixth-year Quarterback would in a Spring game. If he indeed is the starting signal caller next year, Notre Dame will be in great hands.
Let’s take a look at some observations of Hartman’s performance Saturday and how these traits may carry over into a fantastic 2023 campaign.
High Efficiency
At Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman (10) warms up before the Notre Dame Blue-Gold Spring Football game on Saturday, April 22, 2023.
Nd Football Blue Gold Game
Even for experienced upper-classmen quarterbacks, Spring games can be shaky. Knocking off some rust, adjusting to mixed teams, and for Hartman specifically, learning an entirely new system all often lead to up-and-down Spring games. That was not the case for Sam.
13/16 passing for 189 yards, 2 passing TDs, and one rushing is an extremely clean stat line. Genuinely cleaner than I expected to see even entering the game with high expectations from Sam. This stood out to me and should continue to trend up when the team rejoins in August and he has a full slate of first-string linemen and receivers to work with.
Progressions
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA – APRIL 22: Jayden Thomas #83 of Notre Dame Fighting Irish catches the football for a first down against Clarence Lewis #6 during the Notre Dame Blue-Gold Spring Football Game at Notre Dame Stadium on April 22, 2023 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
I also appreciated how calmly Hartman evaluated his passing options and scanned them effectively while also being aware of the pocket and timing he had to work with on any given play. This speaks to a 6th-year player who has been through enough battles to have a sixth sense for this type of nuance.
Feeling confident in this specific aspect of the Irish passing game is something that has been lacking for some time. It will make a world of difference next Fall.
Flow & Grow
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA – APRIL 22: Matt Salerno #29 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish catches the football for a touchdown during the Notre Dame Blue-Gold Spring Football Game at Notre Dame Stadium on April 22, 2023 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
When Hartman was under center Saturday the offense seemed to flow quite nicely. It had some natural rhythm and timing as it made its way down the field. One play led right into the next the way you see top offenses around the country operate. This is quite the luxury in South Bend.
Too many times last year Notre Dame’s offense appeared chaotic, lackluster, unorganized, frantic, and inefficient. Hopefully that all ends in 2023 and becomes a distant unpleasant memory moving forward.
QB - WR Connection
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA – APRIL 22: Jayden Thomas #83 and Sam Hartman #10 of Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrate after scoring during the Notre Dame Blue-Gold Spring Football Game at Notre Dame Stadium on April 22, 2023 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
There is no doubt that the WR group has been a clear weakness for the Irish lately. Under the previous regime, receivers were both underrecruited & underdeveloped. WR Coach Chansi Stuckey has done a fantastic job getting this group back to respectability in a very short period.
Having a Quarterback that can be as efficient and accurate as Hartman displayed Saturday, the revamped WR crew will have every opportunity to excel early and often next year. With so many first and second year pass catchers in the mix for regular playing time, having this type of skill set from the QB is the perfect asset to help bring these players along as quickly as possible.
Take The Lead
Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman (10) Wednesday, April 12, 2023, during spring football practice on the Notre Dame campus.
Nd Spring Football
It felt to me, which I know is a very subjective thing to say, that Sam Hartman was leading the offense Saturday. That he was in control. He was an effective, calming presence behind center. This is what Notre Dame fans have been begging for.
It’s worth noting that the Spring scrimmage isn’t the end all be all. There are a lot of unique circumstance in play and John Q. Public did not have access to the full Spring practice slate. Even with that noted and understood, it sure felt like Notre Dame found it’s starting quarterback for 2023.
For more Irish news & notes follow John on Twitter @alwaysirishINC, Always Irish on Youtube and or your preferred audio podcast provider.
