Games that could deliver Heisman moments for Sam Hartman

Former Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman transferred to Notre Dame this offseason. There, he’ll hope to wake up the echoes and lead the Irish to the College Football Playoff. If he’s able to do that, there will be a good chance that he becomes a Heisman Trophy contender in the process.

In order to win the Heisman, a player needs to have Heisman moments on the biggest stage. On3’s JD PicKell broke down the games that could present those opportunities for Hartman.

“So, for the Heisman to be won in moments, the three Heisman moments I see available,” PicKell said. “Two early, September, got Ohio State at home. GameDay implications potentially. Hard Count implications potentially.”

“USC, also in South Bend, October 14th, we like both of those. A lot of attention on that game. The former Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams coming to your house. You didn’t play in this game last year, obviously, because you weren’t even at Notre Dame. Really good opportunity to go head-to-head with the best player in college football and state your case as to why you believe you’re the best player in college football.”

After that, PicKell emphasized that the late season trip to Clemson could potentially decide who wins the Heisman Trophy, especially if Notre Dame took care of business earlier in the season.

“Now, this is the one I have circled and underlined if I’m Sam Hartman. November 4th, late in the year, the Heisman’s won in November, they play at Clemson. Could be a top-10 matchup depending on what Clemson does, depending on how Notre Dame does in those other two games and up to that point in November. That could be the game where there’s a ton of national attention, College Football Playoff implications, and Sam Hartman. If he goes out there ad has played up to par to this point in the year, that could be the game where he plays tremendously, puts up big numbers, and just makes a statement to the rest of the country, I am the best player in college football. That will be the game that I think you have the chance to do that.”

There are seven Heisman Trophy winners in Notre Dame history. The most recent was Tim Brown in 1987. Manti Te’o in 2012 was the program’s last finalist.

How Sam Hartman changes Notre Dame’s outlook

In his first season as the head coach at Notre Dame, Marcus Freeman led the Irish to a 9-4 record. A large reason why the Irish didn’t have a better record was the team’s woes at the quarterback position. However, Notre Dame is hoping Sam Hartman can change that in 2023.

“You added Sam Hartman. Marcus Freeman said, ‘Yeah, we got our starting quarterback coming back,’ in Tyler Buchner, who started Game 1. But listen, we want to play for some things here at Notre Dame. We want to do something here at Notre Dame. I want to make sure we have a chance to compete for a College Football Playoff berth here at Notre Dame. So you added Sam Hartman,” PicKell said.

“That does two things. The first of which being, it gives you the opportunity to add some balance to that physically. I say it a lot, in terms of ways that you can win football games, the more ways that you have to beat teams, just overall the more dangerous you are week in and week out, you’re going to be physical. Yeah, you’re going to try to punch them in the mouth, and you’re going to try to just make these teams submit by your physicality, but now adding Sam Hartman, you’ve got a little finesse. Add a chance to hurt you with the aerial game. When you’re balanced — balanced football teams have a chance to do exciting things.”