Sam Hartman used to be off his sport. Not his soccer sport, however Monday’s media availability used to be chock of complete of cliches. Low key. It did not expose a lot perception into what would possibly qualify as the most important sport of his lifestyles Saturday in opposition to No. 6 Ohio State.
“Everyone in this room, when you have a big due date, you feel the nerves. You feel the excitement. A lot of it is the want to be the best, to have success and prove people right or wrong,” the quarterback of No. 9 Notre Dame advised the media.
That’s a window into why Hartman selected to increase his profession for a 6th yr, which will likely be his one and most effective at Notre Dame. He has been round see you later his profession spans two eras. From the crack of dawn of the switch portal generation at Wake Forest in 2018 to having general keep an eye on of his lifestyles, skill and long run.
From overachiever to the face of a program that’s not ever allowed to underachieve. From the smallest Power Five program (Wake Forest) to at least one of the most important manufacturers in American sports activities (Notre Dame).
Not to overrate Saturday, however for this reason Hartman got here to Notre Dame — to play in video games like this. For all he did at Wake Forest — 13,000 profession yards passing, 11 wins and an ACC Championship Game berth in 2021 amongst his accomplishments — shifting to the Fighting Irish mirrored that want to be the most efficient.
Before the ones two eras commenced, Hartman misplaced any individual he regarded as his brother to suicide in 2015. (The Hartman circle of relatives took unofficial custody of teen Demitri Allison when his grandmother continued well being problems.) A leaking thyroid gland in 2016 brought about fluid to collect in Hartman’s frame. Doctors went thru his neck to fix the wear and tear, and he made it again in time for his highschool season.
A thick beard that merits its personal NIL deal now hides the main points.
“There is a big scar across his neck,” Hartman’s former highschool trainer Chad Grier stated. “They slit his throat open, found a leak, closed him back up and pulled an abscess the size of a baseball out of his chest.”
Hartman’s freshman season at Wake used to be interrupted by way of a leg harm in 2018; he had gained the beginning task. After throwing 4 interceptions within the 2020 Duke’s Mayo Bowl loss to Wisconsin, Hartman started seeing a psychologist. College athletics has been gradual to return round to the conclusion that such self-help will have to now not most effective be welcomed however inspired.
Prior to the 2022 season, blood clots had been found out that required the removing of one of Hartman’s ribs. It used to be printed prior to the season the bone have been made right into a necklace.
Wake Forest trainer Dave Clawson’s “Slow Mesh” offense made Hartman a star and the Demon Deacons a countrywide interest. The variation at the run-pass choice and the unfold offense then made Wake a countrywide tale largely as a result of of an absolutely shaped Hartman.
“People wrongly assumed he was in a gimmick offense at Wake with the Slow Mesh,” Grier stated. “He’s not 6-foot-4 but he’s at the line of scrimmage with Power Five [defensive] linemen throwing downfield concepts.
“Who else does it? Obviously, it really works for Wake.”
Now it works … better at Notre Dame. Start with Irish offensive coordinator Gerard Parker, who was elevated from tight ends coach after Tommy Rees left for Alabama. That’s after Hartman arrived. While the quarterback and Parker have gotten along nicely, the Ohio State game is their biggest test yet.
Last year, it was C.J. Stroud vs. Tyler Buchner. Stroud was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, now beginning QB for the Houston Texans. Buchner ultimately transferred to a clouded quarterback state of affairs at Alabama.
This yr, the quarterback roles have reversed. Kyle McCord will make his 5th profession get started for Ohio State. Is there any doubt Notre Dame has the brink at quarterback?
Marcus Freeman used to be a rookie trainer remaining yr. The season opener at Ohio State mirrored his defensive prowess in a 21-10 loss. This season, the Irish are extra well-rounded offensively. Junior working again Audric Estime is 2nd nationally in dashing. The offensive line sports activities an All-American (Joe Alt). Freeman’s protection — he used to be Notre Dame’s coordinator in 2021 — is ranked fourth nationally.
The pageant — Navy, Tennessee State, NC State, Central Michigan — should be regarded as, however do not let that distract from Hartman most likely being the lacking piece.
“Our objective isn’t just to hold the ball and huddle every single play,” Freeman stated. “[That’s] kind of what my mindset probably was last year [against Ohio State].
“Going into remaining season, you’ve got some questions, ‘What used to be our id on offense?’ Similar to Game 1 this yr, you do not know till you face an opponent. But we all know what we will do offensively after 4 video games.”
Hartman enters the Ohio Stage sport with 14,028 yards passing because the returning profession chief in that class. Assuming a bowl sport (no less than), he’s going to wish to reasonable 3.7 landing passes consistent with sport to grow to be the all time FBS chief in that class. With 52 yards passing in opposition to Ohio State, he’s going to depart faculty a few of the best 10 in profession yards.
Those sort of numbers are in large part un-Notre Dame. But when Hartman arrived, he used to be projected as that distinction maker at a place that hadn’t had sufficient of them through the years in South Bend, Indiana.
Notre Dame went to the 2012 BCS Championship Game with Everett Golson (subsidized up by way of Tommy Rees). Brian Kelly took the Irish to the 2018 College Football Playoff with Ian Book changing Brandon Wimbush after 3 video games.
Hartman could be the most efficient Notre Dame quarterback since Jimmy Clausen. Some might put out of your mind the much-hyped Clausen in 2009 completed 2nd nationally in passer score. The two bonded within the offseason. If now not Clausen, then Brady Quinn (2003-06), who’s the Irish’s profession passing chief with virtually 12,000 yards.
“It’s something if you start buying into it and really selling your soul to … that fame and that spotlight it will go pretty quickly and pretty fast,” Hartman stated. “Playing for six years, you can get caught up in it. You can get lost in it. … One of the biggest things in my head is how much fun it is to be out here and part of Notre Dame’s team.”
The distinction being Hartman’s Notre Dame legacy will likely be regarded as on this one season — possibly one sport. After Saturday, there are nonetheless 3 video games left in opposition to groups recently ranked within the AP Top 25: Duke, USC, Clemson. Hartman may even play his previous staff, Wake Forest, on Nov. 18.
But the Ohio State outcome could be the adaptation between a big bowl and a playoff berth for Notre Dame.
“It’s a clash of two football greats that, growing up, you kind of think about and look at those games — Ohio State and all those other big games — would be cool to play in,” Hartman stated. “To shy away from that is foolish.”
Hartman is aware of the highlight. He used to be willingly featured in Season 2 of “QB1: Beyond The Lights”, a Netflix documentary on emerging highschool quarterback stars. That uncovered him to the fishbowl that Hartman embraced — no less than when he allowed such get right of entry to at the moment.
“I would go out and people would say, ‘Aren’t you the coach on QB1?'” Grier recalled. “I had no idea I was going to be mic’d up from 7 in the morning to 7 at night. Eventually, you forget it’s even on.”
Grier additionally is aware of the highlight. His 3 sons had been all icons in a method or any other. Nash used to be as soon as a social media sensation identified all over the world. Hayes used to be the youngest competitor on “Dancing With The Stars.” Will Grier performed quarterback at Florida and West Virginia. He is recently along with his 3rd NFL team, the Cincinnati Bengals.
Hartman purchased into all of it following Chad Grier from Davidson Day School in North Carolina — the place he used to be “5-foot nothing, 130 pounds in 10th grade,” in line with the trainer — to Oceanside Collegiate Academy in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Â
“He wasn’t very big, he wasn’t very strong, he wasn’t very fast. He couldn’t throw a long way,” Grier recalled of a tender Hartman. “There was nothing physically redeeming about his game to say this kid is going to be a Division I quarterback someday and set records.”
But as a nature took over and Hartman grew, so did his persona. Two days after Allison leaped to his dying from the tenth flooring of a North Carolina place of dwelling corridor, Hartman performed within the state championship sport for Davidson Day. The Hartman circle of relatives had grown extraordinarily with reference to Allison, who went directly to play soccer at Elon. He used to be mainly a member of the circle of relatives whose problems the Hartmans stated they by no means spotted.
“I told Sam, ‘Nobody expects you to play,'” Grier stated. “Before I could finish saying the word ‘play,’ he looked at me — looked through me, through my soul — and said, ‘I’m playing.'”
For that sport, Hartman modified his quantity to ten, the similar Allison had worn. He nonetheless wears it to nowadays.
Six years into the school revel in, Hartman is not completed. At age 24, he’s older than 8 NFL quarterbacks. Perhaps that is an indication. There is any other generation to the Sam Hartman saga.
“The kid has been through so much,” Grier stated. “He can play at Ohio State. He can play at Notre Dame. Nothing is going to faze him.”