Marcus Freeman would greatly benefit from Sam Hartman contending for the Heisman

Marcus Freeman brought out a big gun for Notre Dame this offseason with the addition of transfer QB Sam Hartman. However, while it could work wonders for the Fighting Irish this season, Hartman’s success could set the program up for success for many years to come.

That’s a take that On3’s JD PicKell shared in an episode of ‘The Hard Count’. He noted how Freeman has already gotten off to a hot start on the recruiting trail as a head coach. If Hartman were to win the Heisman Trophy under his leadership, PicKell says that Freeman’s pitch becomes less about what Notre Dame could be and more so about the new proof of concept in South Bend.

“Notre Dame? Probably in the College Football Playoff conversation. Sam Hartman? Probably in the Heisman Trophy conversation,” PicKell said. “What would that mean for Notre Dame, not just in 2023 but beyond? For Marcus Freeman, that would give him some ammunition he could bottle up and take out on the recruiting trail.”

“It was his first year last year in South Bend, first year being a head coach ever. He’s not messing around on the recruiting trail. We’ve seen that. And a lot of it, previously, was trying to sell people on his vision for Notre Dame, trying to sell what Notre Dame will be in the future,” said PicKell. “But you get your quarterback to win a Heisman Trophy? And I think that goes hand in hand with College Football Playoff candidacy? Then you can say come be a part of what we’re doing right now.”

In Notre Dame’s full cycles under Freeman, he has been rolling from a recruiting standpoint. In 2023, the Fighting Irish’s class finished 10th in On3’s Industry Rankings with 23 commitments. The 2024 class is also on a very good pace already as it’s currently ranked at eighth with 19 commits.

Still, contention of any form naturally kicks that up to another level. Competing for the College Football Playoff is its own thing, especially with an expanded version of it on the horizon of it. A Heisman, though, is a big-time achievement too considering what it says about your program, your development, and the caliber of player that you have.

Freeman is doing a more than admirable job bringing in talent already as the head man for the Irish. Even so, a Heisman campaign for Hartman could amplify his operation and give him an extra ace up on his sleeve with the next wave of recruits across the country.