Marcus Freeman breaks down play of Sam Hartman in spring game

Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman was impressive in Saturday’s spring game for Notre Dame. But head coach Marcus Freeman noted that there were plenty of rooms for improvement.

However, one play that Freeman says in on his shoulder’s was a third-down interception.

“I don’t know what the stats will say — even with Tyler — we didn’t protect that well on that side of the ball,” Freeman said. “With the blue team, we had some drop balls. I told him I gotta take responsibility for the pick because on third down, I went in there and I was trying to help the offense and I was like it’s Cover 2. It’s Cover 2. It ended up not being Cover 2.”

“So I said, I take responsibility for the pick. He’s like, You owe me one. I said, I’ll take responsibility. I’ll tell the media. Don’t worry about it. I got this one. That was on me. But listen, both of those guys have done extremely well. But it’s good to see Sam play well in his first real game like experience at Notre Dame Stadium.”

Hartman is competing with Tyler Buchner, who started the first two games of Notre Dame’s season last year before an injury ruled him out until the bowl game.

The former Wake Forest signal-caller entered South Bend with high expectations as the No. 2 player in the On3 College Football Transfer Portal Rankings. But he is proving himself in the Fighting Irish system.

“His practice one to practice 15 has been tremendously different,” Freeman said. “But that’s what it’s all about is the progression. It’s getting him better and improving. That’s what you see. He’s consistently improved, gotten better and better.”

Sam Hartman called the spring game was an ‘incredible’ experience

Sam Hartman said his first time playing in Notre Dame Stadium with an audience was a special experience.

“It was incredible,” Hartman said on the Peacock broadcast. “The first time with the real gold helmets on. It’s a credit to all the work we put in in the spring. You start off with a new team, new place, and you come out here with this many people, this many fans, it was really fun. You play it for those moments, you play it for those opportunities to go out there and throw the ball around, hand the ball off, o-line protected, guys caught the ball and ran hard. It’s really fun.”