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Notre Dame

How Marcus Freeman sent strong message to college football by adding Sam Hartman

IMG_6598by:Nick Kosko•06/13/23•

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(Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Marcus Freeman told the rest of college football that Notre Dame’s going for it with the addition of Sam Hartman at quarterback.

The former Wake Forest signal caller transferred to the school for his final season and all of sudden there are bigger expectations. Going into Year 2 under Freeman, this might be a College Football Playoff roster.

At least that’s the way On3’s J.D. PicKell sees it.

“You invited more pressure on your football team,” PicKell said on The Hard Count. “And I think for Notre Dame fans, this fires you up because you look at Marcus Freeman and you say, ‘Okay, I have a better sense for what you’re about because you could have been content to just play Tyler Buchner.’ And Marcus Freeman, no knock on Tyler Buchner believed that he had a chance to improve his roster through the portal. He went out and got it and then they won nine games a year ago. 

“Notre Dame, like there was nothing pressing or forcing them to go out and get better at the quarterback position. If Notre Dame rolls into this year with Tyler Buchner, nobody bats an eye in Marcus Freeman doing that. But now, Mark Freeman goes out and gets the top quarterback through the transfer portal.”

Throughout the course of his career, Hartman had 12,967 yards, 110 touchdowns, 41 interceptions and a 59.1% completion percentage at Wake Forest.

It’s no wonder Notre Dame has more expectations, at least offensively.

“And I think it just sends a very clear message to the rest of college football and really specifically to the fan base of Notre Dame,” PicKell said. “And Marcus Freeman isn’t just here to be notable. He’s not just here to have an upset or two every season and put a solid brand out there and play for a bowl game before December 30. 

“And having a good year, win eight or nine games like that’s not what he’s here to do. Going out and getting the top quarterback from the transfer portal through staff because now a lot of eyeballs are on Notre Dame to do some exciting things.”

It was a rocky start for Freeman in Year 1, but with Hartman, Notre Dame has a chance to be the top independent team. Without a conference, Notre Dame has to do its usual 11 or 12-win season to get to the CFP.

Freeman and Hartman just might be the combination to do it.