Written by Connor Regan｜Writer ｜ Photo by The Irish Tribune We've now completed the 2023 regular season schedule, and Marcus Freeman's squad has improved to 9-3, his best record yet as a head coach, and a few simple observations can be made. First, the defense has outperformed the offense this year. Al Golden's squad has ended the season as the 3rd best pass defense in the country and 9th in points allowed. On the flipside, the Irish offense notched only the 50th-best passing game in the country with 247.8 yards/game. Despite the highly touted transfer of Same Hartman and the prolific production of Audric Estime out of the backfield, Gered Parker's offense has underperformed, and the passing game in particular, has shown to be the most obvious area of improvement. One of the chief concerns has been the receiving core, with the wide receivers having drawn criticism due to inconsistent performance and issues meshing with Hartman at various points through the year. As far as consistent foundational strengths, Notre Dame has been called "O-Line-U" for years now because of the NFL-level talent they consistently produce. Although accurate, Notre Dame has had an equally significant impact on another position; the tight end. Simply put, the Irish have quietly dominated the tight end market for nearly 50 years. Since 1973, the Irish have sent 25 tight ends to the NFL, roughly one every two years, with 5 going in the 1st round, 7 in the 2nd round, and 1 in the 3rd. Names ranging from past greats like: Dave Casper - 1974 - 2nd, Pk. 45 Ken MacAfee - 1978 - 1st, Pk. 7 Tony Hunter - 1983 - 1st, Pk. 12 Derek Brown - 1992 - 1st, Pk. 14 To the more modern crop of talent, like: Anthony Fasano - 2006 - 2nd, Pk. 53 John Carlson - 2008 - 2nd, Pk. 38 Kyle Rudolph - 2011 - 2nd, Pk. 43 Tyler Eifert - 2013 - 1st, Pk. 21 Durham Smythe - 2018 - 4th, Pk. 123 Cole Kmet - 2020 - 2nd, Pk. 43 Tommy Tremble - 2021 - 3rd, Pk. 83 Michael Mayer - 2023 - 2nd, Pk. 35 Notre Dame currently has 5 active tight ends in the NFL, and with Michael Mayer's recent departure to the NFL, there's a significant vacancy on the Irish offense that needs to be filled. The competition to do so has been incredibly interesting over the course of this season, with some players showing streaks of promise and others cementing themselves as legitimate contenders to be the next big name among Notre Dame's tight ends. The season began with a mix of Holden Staes and Mitchell Evans, with Staes going on a 3-game stretch where he scored 4 touchdowns (Tennessee State, Central Michigan, & and NC State), followed by Evans truly breaking out not only as the leading tight end, but Hartman's favorite target during Notre Dame's most challenging stretch of the season (Ohio State, Duke, Louisville). Staes is currently tied with Jaden Greathouse for most receiving touchdowns this season at 4, and despite being sidelined after only 7 games with a torn ACL, Evans finished the season in receptions with 29 and finished second with 422 receiving yards behind just Chris Tyree. If you adjust Evan's stats for a 12-game season, he was on pace to nearly match Michael Mayer's final season averages with the Irish when he posted 67 receptions for 809 yards. With some time and once fully healed, Mitchell Evans could follow very closely in the footsteps of Michael Mayer, suggesting big things for his remaining time with Notre Dame. In the face of Evans going down, highly touted 4-star recruit and freshman Cooper Flanagan stepped up to grab both the first pass and first touchdown of his Notre Dame career via a late 4th quarter pass from Steve Angeli against Pitt. Two weeks later against Wake Forest, 4-star recruit and sophomore Eli Raridon had a big day for himself, catching 3 balls for 39 yards and also scoring his first career touchdown. That marks the 5th Notre Dame tight end this season to score at least 1 touchdown. As for the more distant future, things look promising. 2024 marks the arrival of talented 4-star tight end recruit Jack Larsen, and 2025 will see the #5 tight end recruit in the country, James Flannigan, arrive in South Bend, bolstering an already loaded tight end room. The Irish may have unknowns surrounding their offense for the 2024-2025 season, with questions about Gerad Parker's future, QB uncertainty with Hartman leaving, the possibility of Estime declaring for the draft, and who will step up from the receiving core, the offense needs something to build off of going forward. Thankfully, with the emergence of Mitchell Evans, the performance of Holden Staes, the promising debuts of Eli Raridon and Cooper Flanagan, and the incoming talent of Jack Larsen in 2024 and James Flannigan in 2025, Notre Dame looks to follow the dominance of Michael Mayer with another high caliber talent and continue their decades-old tradition of dominance at the tight end. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

By Liam Farrell｜Senior Staff Writer｜Twitter/X: @LiamFarrell_IT Via The Irish Tribune This season as a Notre Dame fan has been quite the rollercoaster. The first 4 weeks of the season seemed to be a blur, with the offense scoring on nearly every possession, and the defense imposing their will, by creating a wide array of turnovers. Then, the middle four games of the season, all primetime night games, had the Irish take a couple steps back. The agonizing defeat at home against Ohio State to the come from behind victory at Duke to the total second half meltdown against Louisville and then finally, the dismantling against arch rival USC. As the Irish stroll into the last week of the season with 3 losses, it's time to take a step back and reflect on the direction of the program. Was this 2023 a setback, or a stepping stone for Marcus Freeman going into his 3rd season as being a head coach? Let's take a deeper look here. A Setback? Even though the Irish came into the season ranked lower than the 2022 season, the expectations for Notre Dame could not be higher. With the quarterback position being the main culprit holding Notre Dame back in recent years, the addition of Sam Hartman, the best QB prospect in the transfer portal, had all fans clamoring for the Irish to make a National Championship run. This looked to be the path of the 2023 season before the Ohio State heartbreaker and Louisville letdown derailed the Irish's dreams. With that being said, was this 2023 season a setback? Well, in some regards, yes. The 2023 season displayed a multitude of things about Notre Dame and where they sit along the best in college football; however, the biggest insight this season provided was the problems in authority. Obviously, Gerad Parker is the main coach being thrown into the fire for his lackluster performances in big games, and his unwillingness to adapt within the game. Parker clearly wasn't Freeman's first option to fill the hole left by Tommy Rees' departure to the Alabama Crimson Tide. Another eye opener that this season provided is Freeman's inability to learn certain things about being a head coach. His time management skills have been absolutely terrible in the second half of the season, and his performance in road games tells the average fan that he doesn't have his team ready to go. As clock management goes, in their game against Wake Forest, Hartman spiked the ball after moving the chains, and then Notre Dame had to call a timeout the next play. In the previous week, the terrible decision to hold onto one timeout and drain clock against Pittsburgh, lead to taking points off the board, as well. Once again, this is Freeman's first time being a head coach. It isn't expected for him to learn these nuances right away, but the learning curve better be coming quick as year 3 is just around the corner. A Stepping Stone? There was a lot of good things to pull from this year for the Notre Dame coaching staff. Obviously, the Irish finished the season with a win over Stanford, which improves their regular season record from last year by a game. Also, they didn't have any real bad games against inferior opponents as they did last year against Marshall and Stanford. It is evident that Marcus Freeman is learning more to being a head coach with every game he coaches. This year, especially in the Ohio State game, he had a clear plan going into the game and stuck by it. I respected Freeman's aggressiveness in big games, and it has proved to work in the past. With two big time wins against Clemson in 2022 and USC in 2023, Freeman knows how to pump his team up for big home games. Year 3 is the difference maker for Notre Dame head coaches. For Lou Holtz, Dan Devine, Are Parseghian, and Frank Leahy, their third season all ended in National Championships. For Marcus Freeman, the 2024 season will be possibly the most prime year to add to this trend. Despite opening the year on the road against a probably revamped Texas A&M team, the schedule is extremely favorable for the Irish. While this is a plus, it is also important to take into consideration the playoff will be expanding for the first time in its history, and multiple teams will be thrown into new conferences for the first time. Notre Dame will remain constant in this wild year of change, making it a true advantage for the Fighting Irish. Wrap Up While this season could be seen in one of two ways, the 2023 Irish were a combination of both in my opinion. The talent on the roster was definitely there in 2023, along with there being no true dominant team in college football this season; however, the coaching maturity simply wasn't as high as it needed to be. The 2024 roster will feature new young talent, but still have enough experience to make a run deep into the playoff. This season may have been frustrating, but there is surely brighter times ahead. https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

By Liam Farrell｜Senior Staff Writer｜Twitter/X: @LiamFarrell_IT Via Notre Dame Football Notre Dame gave Stanford all the resources necessary to end their season on a high note; however, the Fighting Irish's talent stood far too tall of a task for the Cardinal. In the first half, the Irish had three turnovers, which propelled Stanford to 16 early points. The Cardinal, who were not bowl eligible coming into the game, had nothing to play for, and threw all sorts of unusual offensive schemes and formations at Al Golden and the Notre Dame defense. After trailing 16-14, the Irish scored 42 unanswered to take care of Stanford. Audric Estime, who was snubbed of a Doak Walker Award semifinalist nod earlier this week, seemed to be running like a man possessed tonight. The ground game was far too much for Stanford to handle in this one, as the Irish finished their regular season with 9 wins. Let's take a deeper look at the regular season finale. Offense Audric Estime. Estime was the key force for the Notre Dame offense in this one on The Farm. The Stanford linebackers had no answer for Estime's tough, hard-nosed running, as Estime was getting everything he wanted. Earlier in the week, Estime got snubbed for the Doak Walker Award Semifinalists, which highlights the 10 best running backs in college football. He clearly took this personally as he ended tonight with 238 yards and 4 TDs on 25 carries. He also became the single season rushing touchdown leader in Fighting Irish history. This historical season for Estime was a marvel to watch, and it is more than likely that tonight was his last game in an Irish jersey. Offensive Line . The Notre Dame Offensive Line did a fantastic job in all aspects in this one. The running game was very profitable as both Fisher and Alt were successfully getting to the next level on their blocks. Backup Center, Ashton Craig, went down with an injury, and Senior Andrew Kristofic did a great job filling in, as well. Chris Tyree and Co. While this may not have been a high yard yielding night for the Notre Dame passing game, the wide receivers got it done when they had to. Chris Tyree had two incredibly acrobatic catches that continued drives, along with Tobias Merriweather having a great catch and run on 3rd down. Jaden Greathouse also returned to the end zone in this one, along with Jordan Faison who both continued their impressive freshman campaign. Defense Al Golden . Every week I sing the praises of Al Golden, but the man truly deserves it. Stanford threw every single scheme they had in their playbook tonight at the Irish, and for the most part, the Irish defense did a great job containing them. The three turnovers hurt the Irish defense in the field position battle and a couple fluke plays, like a QB power going for 50-yards, were what propelled the Cardinal offense. With this being known, Golden finished this regular season with yet another great performance. Discipline . The Stanford offense brought out a wide array of formations. A couple end arounds, fake reverses, wide spread sets looked extremely weird from the conventional offenses the Irish have seen throughout the year. Nonetheless, the discipline from the Irish defense was really sound throughout the night. Two penalties on two separate third and long plays- roughing the passer by Marist Liufau and pass interference by Cam Hart- on one drive, single handily led to a 56-yard field goal. Besides these two blunders, the Irish defense was sound all night, and got two turnovers, and two fourth-down stops as well. Defensive Line Dominance . The overall effort by the defensive line was huge in this game. Senior end, Nana Osafa-Mensah played his best game of the season. Jordan Botehlo made a couple great plays, as well; but Javontae Jean-Baptiste continues to be the best player in the Irish front seven. Jean-Baptiste also had an absolutely electrifying Field Goal Return off a blocked kick by Jason Onye that highlighted the Irish's dominance in this one. Road Struggles and Sluggish Starts Away From Home : This team is just not the same when they are away from South Bend, Indiana. Marcus Freeman has struggled on the road this season, with losses at Clemson and Louisville, and sluggish performances against NC State and Duke. One of the biggest teaching moments going into next year is acknowledging certain problems when the Irish go on the road and tackling them fast, especially with the Irish opening the 2024 season in College Station. Year 2 Improvement . While this season may have had national championship implications, the Irish still produced a relatively successful season. Freeman continues to learn more and more as a head coach, and the Irish program's direction is definitely skyrocketing. With more wins in Year 2 for Freeman than Year 1, Notre Dame avoided the letdown games as they had last year against Marshall and Stanford. A 9-win season with your second year coach has the Irish program going on a great trajectory no matter how one can look at it. Tap Image or Click Here to Join

Written by Cade Harper｜Writer｜Twitter/X: @CadeHarperIT Photo by The Irish Tribune Well, here we are. The final week of the regular season. This one's been an interesting year to say the least. As fans, I think we're all just savoring these last moments with Hartman, Joe Alt, potentially Audric Estime, but we still have one more left. As much as I hate bringing it up, this one is most definitely a revenge game for the men in blue and gold. This time, Notre Dame is on the road, and will look to control a game against a subpar rival. So what does Stanford look like this far into the season, and what can Notre Dame do to avoid another horrifying upset like last season? Let's dive into the numbers as we get an in depth look at our beloved rival. All stats/info are found from our Stats tab above, feel free to go check it out and see these numbers for yourself provided from our partners at Cover2 Data! Rivalry History - The Legend's Trophy As of now, the Irish currently lead the series vs the Cardinal 22-14. Notre Dame is 8-9 all time when traveling on the road to take on Stanford, however, they have not lost in Stanford Stadium since 2015 off the last second field goal that may still haunt some. A win on Saturday will tie the school's longest road winning streak in Stanford Stadium at just 3 games. The Notre Dame - Stanford series became an annual occurrence in 1988 with a two-year hiatus in from 1995 to 1996 (when the Irish played a home-and-home with Washington). The series shifted to Thanskgiving weekend every-other-year in 2001. Stanford’s annual trip to South Bend has continued to be a mid-October visit. Since 1988, Notre Dame leads the series with Stanford 19-13. The winner of the Notre Dame - Stanford game receives the Legends Trophy, a Dublin crystal bowl resting on a California redwood base. The trophy was first presented in 1989 by the Notre Dame Club of the San Francisco Bay Area. Game Preview - Look Inside The Numbers If there's one thing that's impressed us all, it's this Irish defense. What an incredible run by Al Golden and his guys, as they have players making history, several leading the FBS in certain statistics such as Xavier Watts with 7 total interceptions, and Howard Cross III leading all power 5 defensive linemen with a whopping 63 tackles. There are currently only 5 teams in the country who rank within the top 14 for scoring offense and scoring defense. Notre Dame joins elite company in school's like Michigan, Georgia, Oregon, and Florida State. A couple of incredible accolades worth noting, Audric Estime, the beast himself, finds himself at 15th on the school's all time leading rusher in a single season. He is currently only 165 yards away from fifth place, and 334 yards away from the leader, Vagas Ferguson. The Doak Walker snub has a chance to make history this Saturday, and I can't wait to watch how #7 responds to the insult of keeping him out of that race. The main guy the Irish will need to contain on this Cardinal offense is Sophomore QB, Ashton Daniels. Daniels is obviously the team's leading passer, but he also happens to be the team's leading rusher. Now if we use context clues here, if a quarterback is the team's leading rusher, surely they are a pass heavy team. Well that would be correct, and Notre Dame has been statistically one of the best teams in the country in defending the pass. This Irish defense is now ranked 2nd in pass efficiency and red zone defense, 3rd in passing yards allowed per game, 4th in defensive touchdowns, and 6th in total defense. Some incredible major improvement from last season, as Notre Dame did not have a single ranking inside the top 20 defensively. Under the radar has been Cam Hart, the senior captain has allowed just 127 yards receiving this season, 5.3 per attempt, zero touchdowns, and a passer rating of just 65.8. The Captain has been on straight lockdown this season, and has really proved that he belongs in the spotlight just as much as Benjamin Morrison. As for the offense, three Irish freshman receivers had a day last week vs Wake Forest and look to keep up the momentum this week. Jaden Greathouse, Rico Flores, Eli Raridon, and Jordan Faison combined for 15 catches, 215 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Just a little in-depth reminder that these guys can flat out ball. Excited for the future is an understatement. Speaking of the future, QB Steve Angeli had an impressive season despite being a backup. Angeli heaved some footballs 272 yards for 4 touchdowns without turning the ball over a single time on just 24 attempts, going 79.2% on his completions. Predictions, Hot Takes, Cold Takes, and Betting Lines Post via Audric Estime/X Whatever line the over/under for Audric Estime is on his total yards, put your whole mortgage on it and watch it cash out. The end. Just kidding, but seriously, this dude may go for 200 yards with 3 touchdowns this Saturday. After being snubbed out of a shot at the Doak Walker Award, Estime is taking this to heart and I love it. Especially after last season's loss, I expect for Audric to get a heavy workload this weekend. Notre Dame is currently favored by 26.0 points in this rivalry with an over/under total points of 50.0, apparently the books think Estime either has a phenomenal game or think it's going to be a shootout? Who knows. Considering no player props have been released yet, for the fun of it I will go ahead and say the Irish actually do not cover but miss it just barely and the game will go on the over. Last season Notre Dame was favored by 16.5 and ended up losing by 2 with the game sinking under. I think this revenge tour is as sweet as it gets. Estime will at least record 150 total yards from scrimmage with a score, I believe Hartman has another good game in the pocket recording at least 225 passing yards with a pair of touchdowns to hopefully the younger guys again because I had fun watching that one personally. My final score prediction : 38 - 14. I'm ready for the Irish to dominate in this one and unfortunately soak in sadness once it's over. You can catch the Irish on Pac-12 network for the first time ever, at 7:00 PM EST. Enjoy the day Irish fans, season's not quite over yet so let's savor this one while we can! Stats By Irish Tribune/Cover2 Data Once again, please feel free to check out our Stats by Irish Tribune tab above to get information on the upcoming games and previous, all data noted in the article will be from the information in that section. Check it out for yourselves and find some interesting eye catching numbers! Request To Join: https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Written by Connor D'Aquila ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter/X: @ConnorDaquilaIT Photo by The Irish Tribune On Tuesday, the Doak Walker Award committee announced their semifinalists for the 2023 top running back in college football. Notably absent from the list of ten players was Notre Dame star back Audric Estime. Widely regarded as one of the best players in college football and a likely day-two pick in the upcoming draft, many were surprised to not even see him as a semifinalist. The ten that were honored include Michigan’s Blake Corum, Ollie Gordon out of Oklahoma State, UNC’s Omarion Hampton, Cory Schrader out of Missouri, Jonathan Brooks from Texas, and a number of other backs. Below, we’ll dive into the decision. Statistical Merit Estime’s numbers on the season thus far total 1,103 yards, 14 touchdowns, 185 carries, and six yards per carry. Total yards falls on the low end of the range of players, as Blake Corum is the only semifinalist with a lower number. This is more a result of lack of volume than anything else, however, as guys like Marcus Carroll and Tahj Brooks near 250 carries on the season. This means that in terms of efficiency, Audric falls right in the middle of the ten and far ahead of the other low-volume back, Blake Corum, at only 4.9 yards per carry, a substantial 1.1 yards fewer. In terms of touchdowns, Estime would also be in the middle of the pack, but in the upper half. At the end of the day, Audric is firmly in the mix with the group that made it in all categories, and it appears that total yards must be holding him back. Looking at a guy like Corum, who really only has touchdowns going for him, it feels like they must be using the eye test a little bit. If number seven can’t pass the eye test, though, I don’t know who can. At 5-foot-11, 227 pounds, he flashes incredible speed and athleticism for the size. The combination of barreling through defenders, breaking loose on the outside, and even hurdling players in space is an unprecedented combination. This has been reflected in more advanced stats, as PFF grades him out as the best running back in the country. Ultimately, the statistical justification for his omission appears to come from total numbers and not efficiency. Who Gets Left Out? To me, there are three obvious candidates here: Marcus Carroll from Georgia State, Kimani Vidal from Troy, and Blake Corum. The first two generally found success from very high usage and resulting high yardage numbers. Neither reach Estime’s performance in touchdowns or YPC, and Carroll falls far short at 5 yards per carry. My bigger problem with them is the level of competition. The only ranked team Georgia State has played was this past week, and they are currently on a four-game skid where Carroll has not played very well. Last week, against LSU, he was solid but gained the bulk of his total on a single 44-yard run. Troy has also played only one ranked opponent, against which Vidal also had the majority of his success on one run. Michigan has had a notably weak schedule thus far, but Corum certainly showed up against Penn State, gaining 145 yards and two touchdowns. This was a major help to his case, but the touchdowns and name recognition are also factors. When comparing the broader efficiency and yardage numbers, Corum's only argument is his 20 touchdowns. Admittedly, Estime struggled in Notre Dame’s four-game midseason gauntlet, but his touchdowns were instrumental in the wins over Duke and USC. Obviously, these are all top running backs in all of CFB, but leaving Audric off in favor of some of these other players feels wrong. Notre Dame Bias? I have never been a fan of the “Notre Dame gets disrespected” narrative, but it is always going to come up in a situation like this. The argument is certainly there in many situations, and there is reason for people to dislike the independence and staunch tradition of the school, but I don’t think that is the case here. We have recently seen Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Jaylon Smith win the Butkus Award, Golden Tate win the Biletnikoff, and Manti Te’o finish second in the Heisman. When players have exceptional seasons at Notre Dame, they get recognized for that, and while the argument can be made that SEC schools receive favor, it does not feel like ND is disproportionately excluded from these awards. No matter what, Audric Estime has had an exceptional season for the Irish and will be one of the first running backs taken should he choose to enter the draft. Diving deeper than total yardage, it does feels like a major miss to exclude him from the semifinalist list for the Doak Walker. At the same time, however, a number of backs have had outstanding seasons, and based on statistics alone, it is hard to argue he would have been the winner come season's end. To me, Ollie Gordon appears to be the clear-cut leader with the most yards on the best efficiency. It can not be overstated, however, how much Audric has contributed to this team, and the season he has had. It is unfortunate and hard to explain why he was left off this semifinalist list, but there are bigger and better things coming for him. We can also hope he uses this to spark late-season domination.

By: Maxwell Clark⏐Writer⏐Twitter: @ClarkieCaps Photo from The University of Notre Dame Athletics Irish fans have it good because there's the game within the game here. Do Markus and Booth hang around for YEARS? This is an Irish team where the long-term investment could be extremely rewarding. It all comes down to – How long will they be in South Bend? Sir Mohammed – SF (National Rank: 54 – 247 Sports) Myers Park - Charlotte, NC Son of Nazr Mohammed – this is a bouncy athlete who scores in various ways. Mohammed embraces contact and finishes through it; he can get to the fadeaway or kick the ball out once he's driven and made his move. I noticed that he stays very grounded and in control throughout this process, similar to how a Kawhi Leonard does. I see some point-forward ability with easy one-handed passes thrown forward heading down the court. Fluid jump shot – and it's nice to BEGIN college with this. I could argue that he has some Markus Burton in his game with his play style. Mohammed has a strong frame that could quickly develop into an NBA frame. He will be on my NBA Draft Big Board. Take a look at Mohammed's game - Cole Certa – SG (National Rank: 74 – 247 Sports) IMG Academy - Bradenton, FL Certa is a lanky wing with proven RELENTLESS shooting ability. This man effortlessly gets his shot off, even if it's with a fade, stepback, or pump fake – and the range is unlimited. He brings this to the paint, where he can hold up even with his slight frame. The wingspan is used to his advantage on the defensive end with his ability to block shots. The classic line "there are levels to this" will show with Certa – he's a top 100 recruit ready to ball out. He gets to the basket, has the floater, has the finishing ability, and wants to be the setup guy (throws lobs). The size the other two recruits offer will be NEEDED, so their path to minutes is more straightforward – but based on what I've seen from Certa, he BETTER be in the lineup. Take a look at Certa's game - Garrett Sundra - PF (National Rank: 124 – 247 Sports) Paul VI Catholic - Fairfax, VA Sundra is an athletic four and another exciting piece to add to this Notre Dame team. Good touch around the rim --"67% from the field in summer EYBL run" (Light It Up Sports – Youtube). Mature player defensively who understands zones and knows where to be. He possesses an underrated passing ability that will be put on display by Division 1 level shooters around him. These prospects are all different but very skilled and should play well together. Mohammed/Burton's ability to get to the basket should set up Certa and Sundra. Hopefully, Booth will be around because his ability to hit shots from anywhere is ideal for spacing. Notre Dame has a lot to build on with the currently enrolled projects, and these kids staying around to fuse with this new class will lead to many more wins for Notre Dame. Coach Shrewsberry will have his next test of managing depth (hopefully after the portal is hit hard). I'm sure he's thrilled about having a solid class of reinforcements this early into his time at Notre Dame.

Written by Liam Gaudet｜Senior Editor｜Twitter/X: @LiamGaudetIT Photo by The Irish Tribune Coming into the season, the hype surrounding Sam Hartman was palpable. In what was most likely the highest profile transfer in program history, Notre Dame was gaining national buzz for what was thought to be their missing piece that would carry them to heights unforeseen since 1988. The sad reality hit like a locomotive, however, as the Irish managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory multiple times this season, and are staring down the barrel of an 8-3 record. Sam Hartman, though possessing more talent than quarterbacks of the last half-decade, had failed to reach the sky-high expectations set by a fanbase starving for a glimmer of national notoriety. It has now reached the point where the fanbase has begun to turn the page toward next season, a new opportunity with fresh faces and perhaps more favorable results. Of course, no bigger question mark exists than the signal caller role which has garnered much debate over social media. I've seen takes from all sides of the fanbase, the journalists, and the talking heads, and I have to say - I'm legitimately surprised. C.J Carr this, Kenny Minchey that... aren't you all forgetting somebody? Steve Angeli seems to be some sort of egregious afterthought from what I've seen from all corners of this fanbase. Today, I'd like to make the case that not only is he capable of being the starter for the Irish in 2024 - he may be ready now. Starting with what we know - Marcus Freeman has already expressed his willingness to seek out a potential suitor via the transfer portal earlier last week. Many fans thought that Utah quarterback Cam Rising would be a name to watch heading into the offseason, however, with his recent announcement that he would be returning to the Utes for his 7th collegiate season, that option is out of the cards. Now, obviously it's still very early in terms of feeling out the portal, but you have to wonder whether Notre Dame would be able to bring in a quarterback with game-changing pedigree like Sam Hartman. Obviously, Hartman didn't pan out the way everyone thought he would, but even finding a quarterback of that caliber that checks all of the boxes for Notre Dame is slim to none, and should not be expected. Does that mean the transfer portal is off the table? Absolutely not. I can see this staff bringing on a veteran to challenge the underclassmen, I just don't expect lightning to strike twice, which leaves the door open for someone in the room to step up and take the job. Forgetting about the portal for now and focusing on the in-house talent, that leaves the Irish with three viable options. Steve Angeli, Kenny Minchey, and incoming freshman C.J. Carr. I'd like to take a look at each of these options and try and explain exactly why I think Angeli should be the favorite to win the room next season. Let's start with the man himself, Steve Angeli. Coming out of Bergen Catholic in the class of 2021, Angeli was ranked the 365th best player nationally by 247 Sports' composite ranking system. Immediately, I can see people rolling their eyes, as if what these recruiting sites have to say is the immediate gospel and truth of what Angeli is capable of. What people often overlook is the fact that Angeli possessed offers from schools like Ohio State, Oregon, LSU, Penn State and Michigan. Those aren't schools who offer just anybody, and should carry some weight when considering that talent evaluators from all these programs believed that Angeli could play football on scholarship at those programs. Outside of his high school evaluations, Angeli possesses an ideal frame for a collegiate quarterback. Standing at 6'3 with a stocky build, Angeli's frame is college ready after two seasons in the program. In fact, you might have argued that he was college ready if you watched the Blue-Gold game prior to the start of the 2022 season, where he was easily the most efficient quarterback on the roster, and showcased his mobility and accuracy as a freshman on the biggest stage of his career up to that point. That is the perfect segway into another category in which Angeli would have the upper hand in - experience. Although he has seen modest playing time over the last few seasons, there is absolutely no doubt that he's made the most out of it. In relief this season, Angeli has completed 19 of his 24 passing attempts for 272 yards and four touchdowns. It should be noted that while doing so, he was playing with non-starters most of the time. Angeli has also not taken a sack or thrown an interception in his time on the field as well. As far as the eye test goes, Angeli seems incredibly comfortable in the pocket for someone with little game experience. I think what impressed me the most is how agile he seems as 6'3, as he has been able to maneuver himself quite well outside of the pocket, even making an extremely impressive off-platform touchdown pass in mop-up duty against Pitt. Do we have the biggest sample size with Angeli? No. Is the talent there? I believe it is. I'm confident with one more offseason in the program (and possibly a new offensive coordinator), Steve Angeli is more than capable of running this offense at more than just a game-managing level. Let's take a quick look a Kenny Minchey, who a lot of people believe will be the favorite to win the room if the Irish don't reach into the portal. There isn't a lot we can say right now, as Minchey hasn't really seen prolonged action this season. What I will say is that Minchey would more than likely have the upper hand when it comes to pure arm talent. After watching a lot of film on Minchey, he has one of the quickest releases I've seen in some time for a Notre Dame quarterback. If Minchey really grows this spring and into fall, there's definitely a possibility of him grabbing the starting role. For now though, I just haven't seen enough of Minchey against collegiate competition to convince me that he's more ready than Angeli is right now. That could definitely change, and I'm not writing him off. Finally, the prospect everyone has been losing sleep over since last summer - the offspring of a Michigan legend, C.J. Carr. Remember earlier when I mentioned putting the recruiting bias aside? I'd like to advocate for some parity in the opposite direction, because if you just evaluate the player, and not the recruiting ranking, you may tend to think it's too early for Carr to see action. That's absolutely no knock on Carr's talent either, I think in time he will be the real deal. For next year, though, it's probably too soon. Carr plans to enroll early at Notre Dame, but even with a few extra months I have a hard time buying the fact that he's going to be the starter come game time at College Station. Carr is a tall prospect with a fluid throwing motion, and showcases plenty of accuracy throughout camps, and at Saline high school. Although his numbers may not blow you away, he shows great poise and feel, which will translate well at the next level. Like most quarterbacks coming out of high school, Carr is incredibly raw, and will likely have to hone his skills for a year or two under Gino Guidugli. It may also be an asset to not throw Carr to the wolves in his first season and shatter his confidence as a passer. Carr will shine at Notre Dame, but it's unlikely he will as a freshman. So here we are. I've laid out my thoughts, and would love to hear yours. Will it be Angeli, Carr, Minchey, or a transfer? Time will tell, but I believe where we stand at this moment, the answer should be clear. As always, Go Irish!

Written by Connor D'Aquila ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter/X: @ConnorDaquilaIT Photo by The Irish Tribune Rumors have swirled about offensive coordinator Gerad Parker’s future with Notre Dame. Some have said that a shift in responsibilities has already begun, but nothing is official on that front. No matter the situation behind the scenes, it has been clear in recent weeks that offensive performance is not up to par. Watching the fourth quarter at Clemson was especially frustrating, as the offense completely stagnated in the most important stage of the game. Not all of the blame can fall on Parker, but at the end of the day, his play-calling and gameplan are not working. Should the Irish decide to move on, there are a number of great options available. We will evaluate potential alternatives below. Chip Kelly A recent name to enter the fold, it has been reported that Kelly will be fired by UCLA after this season. Although an older name, Kelly is a long-time major name in the college coaching sphere who also carries an NFL pedigree. Making his name at Oregon, he proved an ability to produce in a major way with an option-heavy spread offense. From 2010 to 2012, Oregon averaged a whopping 530 yards and 47.5 points per game, en route to a New Year’s Six bowl every year. He is respected throughout the game and has had a fair amount of success at UCLA, but was never able to get them over the top. Whether he would be open to an assistant coaching job is questionable, but this would be the big-name splash hire that many have hoped for. Sean Lewis In a shocking move, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders made the decision to demote Sean Lewis just a couple of weeks ago. Lewis was formerly the head coach at Kent State, where he turned a struggling program around and saw tremendous offensive success. He was considered a major up-and-comer in coaching spheres, and some were surprised to see him leave Kent State for an assistant position. At Kent, his impact was immediate with his first season carrying an 11.2 points per game and 108.4 yards per game improvement over the prior year. The program would only rise from there, and by 2021, they were playing in only their third bowl game ever. At Colorado, the offense initially looked solid, posting some huge numbers behind quarterback Shadeur Sanders. As they began to struggle, however, Sanders decided to take away play-calling duties in a move some believe was premature. Today, the offense is averaging 384.6 yards and 30.7 points per game. He doesn’t have the most experience calling plays, but this could be a great young hire. Brennan Marion Marion has engineered an incredible season in his first year at UNLV. The Rebels sit at 8-2 with a chance to win the Mountain West, much of which can be attributed to Marion. His “go-go offense” has made him one of the hottest young names in football, and it has led UNLV to an impressive 36.4 points per game, 421.6 total yards per game, and 195.7 rushing yards per game. Especially for a school like Notre Dame that likes to prioritize the run game, Marion would be a very interesting hire. Being so young, with limited high-level experience, there is always a chance he doesn’t pan out. That being said, he also has the chance to be a home run addition to the staff. Joe Moorhead Moorhead was once a fast riser in college football, making a major name for himself at Penn State, but poor head coaching ability has put a bit of a damper on his career. Currently the head man at Akron, the Zips sit at 2-9 and show few signs of life. A quick look at his offensive coordinating history makes it clear, however, that Moorhead can certainly call plays and put out a great offensive product. In his first year at Penn State, the Nittany Lions posted school records in total yards and passing yards while tying their highest points total. After finishing 100th in scoring offense in 2015, Penn State finished seventh over his two seasons, and he took home Offensive Coordinator of the Year in both seasons. He also spent two seasons at Oregon, which had more mixed results, but the Ducks reached conference championships in both years, meaning he was definitely doing something right. This would be a safer hire, but not a bad one at all. Mike Shanahan James Madison has been the story of college football this year, posting a 10-0 record in just their second season at the FBS level. Behind this is Mike Shanahan (not the famous one), who has led the offense to 433.2 yards per game and 34.3 points per game. In his first season in 2021, the Dukes posted program records in passing yards, passing average, and passing touchdowns, and the success has carried over to the FBS. He has worked his way up the ladder at JMU and appears poised for a major jump. This would have the potential to be a huge hire for any program, and I hope ND would consider Shanahan if they were to part ways with Parker. In-House Options Quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli would be the most obvious consideration on the current staff, given his stint as OC with Cincinnati under Luke Fickell. The Bearcats were solid in his one season, putting up 29.2 points per game and 372.2 yards per game. He was planning to follow Coach Fickell to Wisconsin as pass game coordinator after the season, but jumped on the ND opportunity when he got it. There is a limited sample size to consider here, and it is also tough to evaluate an offense that had just lost Desmond Ridder, but there is potential here. No matter what, Coach Gudugli has proven he can develop quarterbacks, but I would be reluctant to bring on another unproven coordinator. Deland McCullough is another coach who would fall into this category. He has been very successful in his time here and elsewhere, and he could look to make a jump soon. Having no experience as a coordinator, however, this would be a very risky move. Ultimately, we have little clarity on where Gerad Parker will find himself next season, and this is purely hypothetical. If the recent performance does continue, though, I would hope a change gets made, and there are a lot of good options available.

By Liam Farrell｜Senior Staff Writer｜Twitter/X: @LiamFarrell_IT Via The Irish Tribune SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Notre Dame honored their 31 seniors today with a solid victory over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. The Irish got off to a rather lethargic start, but the offense got into a rhythm as the day progressed. The defense, somewhat did the opposite, as the defense forced the Demon Deacons to punt on their first two possessions, and then suffered two extremely long drives, one of which resulting in an easy walk-in touchdown. However, Al Golden made the needed second half adjustments to get his unit back in check. Clock Management was yet another struggle this week, as the Irish were executing a very successful two-minute drill before taking their last timeout, after spiking the ball. Let's take a deep look at Notre Dame's last home game of 2023. Offense Sam Hartman . This was an extremely emotional game for Sam Hartman. His Notre Dame senior day pitted against the team he spent the past 5 years with, had Hartman overcome with emotion. Hartman delivered in this one, totaling 277 yards and 4 touchdowns, each to a different target (Ford, Merriweather, Raridon, and Greathouse). The throws to Raridon and Greathouse were perfect throws on the money, but he had a couple bad misses as well in this one. Even on Hartman's 35-yard Touchdown pass to Tobias Merriweather, the ball was under thrown and forced Merriweather to make an in-air adjustment. Hartman returned to his previous self that we saw at the beginning of the year in this one. Young Interior Offensive Line . The interior offensive line did a pretty good job today. Ashton Craig and Billy Schrauth both got their first starts of this season, with Zeke Correll and Rocco Spindler both out. Craig and Schrauth really held their own, especially in the pass blocking game, and displayed that their can hold their own with the first unit. Audric Estime's likely final game at Notre Dame Stadium . Estime has been an absolute delight to have at the running back position. With his current draft stock, it wouldn't make much sense for Estime to return to school for his senior season, which would make today the last time #7 ran out of the tunnel at Notre Dame Stadium. Estime finished the game with 115 yards, along with a touchdown. Gerad Parker . Most of the Notre Dame fanbase has been calling for the firing of Gerad Parker. Parker was on-fire early in the season against less than average competition, but his in-game adjustments against better teams have been non-existent. This offense just frankly isn't cutting it for the Notre Dame team to be considered elite. His play calling is extremely predictable, and his dedication to running the ball in heavy sets is mind-boggling. When he finally added the play action element to the offense, the Irish dominated in the 2nd half. It should be interesting to see the direction new Athletic Director Pete Bevacqua goes to fill this clear and evident void. Defense Pass Pressure . The biggest question mark for this Notre Dame defense was always the pass rushing pressure. Javontae Jean-Baptiste has single handily put these rumors to bed, as he has played phenomenally this season. Al Golden has also done a great job utilizing secondary and linebacker blitz to continue to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Defense has been Elite. Look, this Wake Forest offense came into this game struggling. Only scoring 6 points against NC State surely won't get it done, but they have some players at wide receiver that could make plays. With that being said, the Notre Dame defense sure keeps teams under control when it matters. The Irish incorporate a certain, bend-but-don't break at times, but when the Irish need to get a stop, they do their job. You can't ask anything more from a defense than what Notre Dame has this year. The Future is Bright . In this blowout victory, it is good to see the future of the program, even on senior day. Cornerback Christian Gray is going to be a certified stud, along with Morrison and Mickey. At linebacker, Jaylen Sneed looks like he will be the next in line to take over the reigns at the senior heavy position. Games like this provide a good look to see what the future may possess. Special Teams Onside Kick . Beautiful play call, by Marty Biagi and great execution on all fronts from Spencer Shrader to DJ Brown. Field Goal Block . The FG Block by Jean-Baptiste was a big momentum shifter as Wake Forest elected to kick the field goal on 4th and short, instead of going for it after moving the ball 63 yards. This shift in momentum resulted in a six point swing for the Irish.

Written By: Phil Kowalis ｜Writer｜Twitter/X: @Phil Kowalis Photo: University of Notre Dame Saturday will not only be an important day for the 31 players participating in the Senior Day festivities prior to the game against the Wake Forest Deamon Deacons but it will also be a special day in the long illustrious history of Notre Dame Stadium, as the "House that Rockne Built" will host its 500th game. From 1900 to 1928 Notre Dame played their home football games at Cartier Field which was located just north of the site of the current Notre Dame Stadium. Cartier Field served as the home of the university's football, baseball and track and field teams and seated 30,000 fans at its peak. The success and popularity of Knute Rockne Notre Dame football teams led to the need for the construction of a larger home for the Notre Dame football team, so plans were put in place for the construction of a new stadium which was to be finished in time for the 1930 season. Cartier Field remained the home of Notre Dame baseball and track and field teams for more than 30 years after the construction of Notre Dame Stadium before it was replaced by the library quad in 1962. With plans underway for the new stadium's construction, Rockne's 1929 squad played its entire schedule away from campus with the home games being played at Chicago's Soldier Field. Rockne's Irish finished the 1929 season with a perfect 9-0 record on the way to winning the national championship. Construction on Notre Dame Stadium began in April of 1930 with Rockne himself playing a large role in the design of the stadium. Rockne requested that the sod from Cartier Field be transplanted into the new stadium and also insisted that the stadium be used for football only. Four months after construction on the stadium began the new facility was ready to open its gates with a capacity of 54,000 spectators. Notre Dame Stadium hosted its first football game on October 4, 1930 as Notre Dame defeated SMU 20-14, one week later official dedication ceremonies were held as the Irish defeated Navy by a score of 26-2 in front of a crowd of more than 40,000 fans. The stadium remained true to its original design until the end of the 1996 season when a stadium expansion project saw the construction of an upper bowl added to the stadium which added over 21,000 seats and increased capacity of Notre Dame Stadium to 80,795 fans. From 2014 to 2018 Notre Dame Stadium underwent the Campus Crossroads expansion that transformed the stadium into a campus student hub by adding three buildings to the stadium, the Duncan Student Center which hosts student recreational and dining facilities, O'Neill Hall, which houses the university's music department and Corbet Family Hall which holds the Psychology and anthropology departments. The Campus Crossroads renovation reduced Notre Dame Stadium's seating to its current capacity of 77,622. Notre Dame has been very successful in games played inside the "House that Rockne Built" over its 93-year existence having an overall record of 377-117-5 good for a .775 winning percentage entering this week's contest against Wake Forest. As Notre Dame Stadium prepares to host its 500th game this weekend I thought I would share what, in my opinion, are the five greatest victories in Notre Dame Stadium history over the 50 plus years that I have enjoyed being a fan of Notre Dame football. 5. September 20, 1980: #8 Notre Dame 29, # 14 Michigan 27 Notre Dame kicker Harry Oliver kicks a 51-yard field goal as time expires to give the Irish the come from behind victory over the Wolverines. This game holds a special place in Notre Dame lore as fans in attendance swear that the persistent blustery wind that would have been in Oliver's face died just before his kick allowing the ball to just clear the crossbar and give the Irish the win. 4. November 14, 1992: #8 Notre Dame 17, #22 Penn State 16 In a game that would be dubbed "The Snow Bowl" for the persistent snow that fell throughout the game, Notre Dame scored their only touchdown of the game with 20 seconds left as Rick Mirer hit Jerome Bettis with a four-yard touchdown pass. Trailing 16-15 Lou Holtz decided to go for the two-point conversion and the win. Holtz was rewarded for his decision when Reggie Brooks made a diving catch of a Mirer pass for the winning conversion. 3. October 22, 1977: #11 Notre Dame 49, # 5 USC 19 "The Green Jersey Game" after warming up in their traditional home blue jerseys, the Irish come out of the locker room behind a Trojan horse wearing new green jerseys that had been waiting in their lockers. The "Green Machine" is born and the Irish go on to dominate the Trojans. Joe Montana would throw for two touchdowns and rush for two more in leading the Irish to the win. Notre Dame would wear the green jerseys six more times on the season as they went on to claim the national championship. 2. November 13, 1993: #2 Notre Dame 31, #1 Florida State 24 "The Game of the Century" Notre Dame defensive back Shawn Wooden knocks down Charlie Ward's desperation pass in the end zone to secure the Irish victory over the top ranked Seminoles. Led by Lee Becton's 122 yards rushing the Irish rack up 239 yards and four rushing touchdowns against a Florida State defense that had allowed only four rushing touchdowns on the season coming into the game. 1. October 15, 1988: #4 Notre Dame 31, #1 Miami 30 "Catholics versus Convicts" what more needs to be said. Pat Terrell knocks down a two-point conversion pass with 45 seconds remaining as Notre Dame ends Miami's 36 game regular season winning streak. Those are my top 5 victories in the history of Notre Dame Stadium. Feel free to leave your thoughts on my list in the comment section or add a list of your own. Until next time, Go Irish.

Written by Mike Stacey｜Writer｜Twitter (X): @MikeStaceyIT IG: @mikestaceyit Photo Credit: Notre Dame Athletics It's the beginning of a new era for Notre Dame hoops after the winningest coach in school history, Mike Brey, finished up his 23 year career with the Irish last season. Although it was not the way any of us wanted it to end, the writing was on the wall and it was time for new blood in South Bend. The Irish answered the bell by hiring coach Micah Shrewsberry, who in my opinion, was a slam dunk hire. Micah is an Indiana guy who took a struggling Penn State program to the NCAA tournament in only his second season, which saw Penn State win in the 1st round and almost upset #2 seed Texas in the second. Coach Shrewsberry demands good defense, physicality, and brings his passion to the game. This is exactly what Notre Dame needed after replacing Mike Brey and heading into unknown waters. Although Notre Dame is considered a football school, Micah will certainly meet that notion head on and challenge it. So far, he is off to a hot start. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Coach Shrew inherited an absolute dumpster fire when he came to Notre Dame this offseason. Not only was this a program coming off of a 11–21 (3–17 ACC) record, but a roster that only saw 3 scholarship players from the previous year returning, none of them having played meaningful minutes last season. Putting together a competitive squad during the off-season was less of a concern than being able to actually field a team, but Shrewsberry did not make excuses, instead, he got to work! The Irish landed several transfers and a freshman class that ranked 26th by 247's Composite ranking. That was an INCREDIBLY impressive feat in a very short amount of time with a flailing program. Fast forward to the first game of the year this past Monday and coach pulled another rabbit out of his hat. He actually had fans in the stands for a non-conference game, against Niagra! In years past, Mike Brey had to beg, dance, throw food at the dining hall, to try to get butts in the seats at the Purcell Pavilion. The lack of attendance was incredibly concerning, and quite frankly, embarrassing. On Monday night the Irish hit 80% capacity in the stands compared to 51% in last years home opener vs Radford, and the difference in energy was palpable. Outside of Markus Burton's brilliant and record breaking 29 point performance, the highlight of the Irish win for me was Coach Shrew charging out on the court to fire up the crowd after a key Irish run. The crowd responded, and the Pavillion Center was once again electric. The breath of fresh air, fresh life, a fresh season, was like caffeine for the once docile Irish crowd. The team seemingly fed off of the energy which helped will them to a gritty, back and forth victory. A game that the Irish have lost many times in recent seasons. Although it was far from perfect, and against a small school, the fight and guts on this team was a welcome change. At one point at the end of the game, the Irish had four freshman on the floor, typically a disaster scenario for a close game in which composure is needed down the stretch. Instead, the young blood came out fearless and got the job done. Something that we did not see from a veteran squad the year prior. This is only one game and there is plenty of room for improvement, especially in the shooting department where the Irish went 3 for 17 from three. That being said, who cares? This season should not be about wins and losses, I know fans don't enjoy hearing that, but having high expectations for this season's outcome would be setting yourself up for frustration. Instead, this season should be about changing the culture at Notre Dame. Enough being labeled as simply a "football school." Enough being that soft team that can't finish, that gets pushed around. Enough of having a home court environment whose volume is rivaled by the library during finals week. ENOUGH. What I have seen so far during this off-season and on Monday night, were steps in that direction, and although there is plenty of work to do and hardships to come on that journey, I couldn't be more excited. It is time for this program to have a tough, gritty, do what it takes attitude that puts them back on the national stage. Mike Brey showed it could be done but could not sustain it. Now, it's time for Micah Shrewsberry and staff to lead the Irish on their return to glory and when they get there, keep them there, where they belong. Next game: Notre Dame vs Western Carolina Catamounts South Bend- Purcell Pavillion 2pm Tip Off

Written by Connor D'Aquila ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter/X: @ConnorDaquilaIT Photo by The Irish Tribune Notre Dame had its second bye week of the season ahead of a senior day matchup with Wake Forest. Currently 4-5 and 13th in the ACC, the Demon Deacons do not bring an abundance of excitement with them, aside from one major storyline. How will Sam Hartman look against his former team? It is no secret that Hartman has not looked like himself in recent weeks, but after five years in Winston-Salem, he should know the defense fairly well, and hopefully, he will have a chip on his shoulder. There appears to be little bad blood from either side, but anytime such an integral player leaves a program, it will certainly be talked about. Below, we’ll dive into his journey to Wake Forest, then Notre Dame, and what it means to play them again. Time at Wake Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, Sam began his football career in the area, playing at the nearby Davidson Day School. Eventually, he transferred to Oceanside Collegiate Academy near Charleston, South Carolina, somewhere we have seen numerous high-level prospects come out of. However, despite being prolific in his high school career and setting numerous records, Hartman did not get much attention as he went through his recruiting process. According to 247Sports, his only offers were small-time local programs Elon and Charlotte with the lone Power Five program being Wake Forest. Ultimately, the decision made too much sense to turn down. A Carolina kid who spent his free time fishing on the lake, he would only be about an hour from home and was also entering a weak quarterback room. All of this panned out and Sam was able to take the starting job in his very first game at the school. Soon, he would be the face of the program, putting up prolific numbers and leading the Demon Deacons to some of their best seasons ever. In his tenure from 2018 to 2022, they would qualify for bowl games in every season, and in 2021, they had their highest final AP ranking ever at 15th paired with a Gator Bowl win. This was also the year that Hartman took a major step forward as a thrower, ending with 4,228 yards, 38 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. After 2022, however, which was his fifth year in college, Hartman had only one more season of eligibility and was not seeing his name high on draft boards. Despite being consistently one of the top quarterbacks in the game, scouts were concerned about his ability to handle a pro-style scheme, given the notorious “slow mesh” style at Wake. This offense kept defenses off guard and allowed for big splash plays down the field. At the end of the day, it was a quarterback-friendly system and NFL teams questioned his ability to perform in a more fast-paced system that required more reads. All of this meant that after a number of years in Winston-Salem and a deep allegiance to the program, Sam Hartman made the difficult decision to enter the transfer portal. Journey to ND Seeking a more pro-style offense, the Tommy Rees-led Notre Dame system was perfect. Here, he would be able to demonstrate to coaches how his skills translate into a more traditional offense and would hopefully improve his draft stock. While it was initially reported that he entered the portal intending to end up in South Bend, it took a couple of weeks for the decision to be made final. He has since said that he had substantial offers and NIL pushes from SEC and other programs, but that Notre Dame was the place for him. The hype grew in weeks following the announcement, as people saw a talented young offense that now had a polished quarterback to take the reigns. It was initially a camp battle with Tyler Buchner, but Hartman ended that with a solid Blue-Gold Game performance. Buchner would then transfer to Alabama, following Rees, and Sam would be the guy in a Gerad Parker-led offense. He took all the changes in stride and maintained his excitement to be part of the program. At the spring game, I was lucky enough to sit next to two ex-teammates from Wake Forest, who assured me that coming here was quite an adjustment, but he was growing to love it. Since then, his love for the Irish has become clear. Indiana is a long way from North Carolina physically and culturally, but he summed up the transition post-USC, saying “I freaking love the Irish.” What This Game Means In recent weeks, the road for Hartman has gotten a bit bumpier, as a regression since OSU has become clear, and we are seeing more and more mistakes. Fans have been quick to put blame on many parts of the program, and there is plenty to go around. Sam took responsibility for the Clemson loss, and we can assume this upcoming game will have a two-fold meaning for him. On one side, it is his last regular season CFB game, and a final chance to prove to everyone just how talented he is. It is also merely an opportunity to bounce back and head into bowl season with a win and a better trajectory for the program. On the flip side, he is playing his former team and will have plenty to prove. Did he make the right decision by leaving Wake? Was he a product of the scheme? Can he take over in big moments? I believe the answer to all of these questions is yes, but this game provides another opportunity to silence the doubt and prove that ND is the place for him. We will certainly see mixed reactions from Demon Deacon fans, but I believe most respect him and his contributions to the program enough to root for him. They may not want him to win, but I don’t believe this should be any hatred-fueled game. Hopefully, we can see Hartman enjoy seeing ex-teammates and coaches while performing well en route to a Notre Dame victory.