Sam Hartman and the No. 19 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-3) will host Wake Forest (4-6) on Saturday to close out this season’s home slate at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend. This game has likely been circled on Hartman’s calendar ever since the most accomplished quarterback in Wake Forest history transferred to Notre Dame for a final season of eligibility.
Sam Hartman Braces to Battle Former Team
Second all-time in the ACC in passing yards (12,967) after starting four years for the Demon Deacons, Hartman will face his former teammates on Saturday. More importantly for the Irish faithful, however, is that Hartman and the Irish offense find a way to get back on track.
Hartman made it through Notre Dame’s first six games (five wins) without throwing an interception but he has struggled of late. He has thrown seven picks in the past four games, two of which ended in losses to Louisville and Clemson. In the recent road loss to Clemson, Hartman had his worst passing performance of the season. He had a 43% completion rate and two interceptions. With a bye week to recover from the challenging game, Hartman now needs to put it behind him.
For the season, Hartman has accumulated 2,272 passing yards (62.8 percent) and thrown 18 touchdowns, including four games with multiple touchdown passes. Now is an opportune moment for the veteran signal-caller to recapture the rhythm he displayed earlier in the season.
Injuries have not been kind to the Notre Dame offense and have compounded the Irish’s woes on offense. As the Irish prepare to face a less-than-stellar Wake Forest defense, the synchronicity between Harman and leading receiver Chris Tyree will become a focal point. Stepping up to lead the talented, but oft-injured wide receiver corps, Tyree has 446 yards on 23 catches with three touchdowns. Hartman and Tyree will need to be on the same page to exploit the vulnerabilities in Wake Forest’s defense. The Demon Deacons rank 62nd in the nation with 224.7 passing yards allowed per game.
Sending the Seniors Out “The Right Way”
In addressing the media during his weekly press conference, Irish head coach Marcus Freeman suggested that Notre Dame has plenty of motivation for Saturday’s game against a reeling but hungry Wake Forest squad led by head coach Dave Clawson. Wake Forest has been outscored 91-43 in its last three games. During that span, The Demon Deacons have produced just 14.3 points per game.
“We have an opportunity this upcoming week to obviously send these 31 seniors that will play their final game in Notre Dame Stadium out the right way,” Freeman said. “And that’s going to be our motivation. I’ve met Coach Clawson a couple of times. This team (Wake Forest) will be ready to go and they’re going to come in here knowing that they have to win this game to try to be bowl-eligible. So, we understand the challenge. We understand the opportunity for us to send these seniors out the right way and to continue to finish this season off the right way.”
Scouting Wake Forest
Wake Forest is riding a three-game losing streak heading into Saturday’s contest, including a 26-6 setback against NC State last weekend. Under Clawson, the Demon Deacons have been in bowl games in seven consecutive seasons. With an anemic offense that looks like it misses Hartman’s presence, that streak is in jeopardy this year.
With 330.3 total yards per game, Wake Forest ranks 103rd in the FBS this year. The Demon Deacons offensive unit ranks as the 22nd-worst in the FBS, averaging just 20.5 points per game. Wake Forest ranks 62nd in the FBS with 199.3 passing yards per contest and is 95th with 131 rushing yards per game.
Wake Forest quarterback Mitch Griffis has thrown for 1,539 yards this season while completing 59.4 percent of his passes. He has nine touchdown passes and eight interceptions. In addition, he has racked up 128 yards rushing with two touchdowns.
Demond Claiborne is Wake Forest’s top rusher. Claiborne has carried the ball 137 times for 586 yards (58.6 yards per game) with five touchdowns. Complementing Claiborne out of the backfield is Justice Ellison who has run for 447 yards on 94 carries. Wide receiver Jahmal Banks leads the team with 528 receiving yards on 47 catches. He also has three touchdowns.
Notre Dame Offense Regains Its Rhythm
Led by Hartman, Notre Dame’s offense has been explosive at times. The talented unit also features powerhouse running back Audric Estime. One of the better running backs in the country this season, Estime could have a milestone day against Wake Forest as he is just 12 yards shy of 1,000 yards. Estime boasts 988 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. The junior is looking to achieve 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his collegiate career. In Notre Dame’s loss to Clemson, Estime recorded 120 total yards (87 rushing) and a touchdown on 21 touches. He has scored six touchdowns in the last three games. Wake Forest is generous to opposing running backs, giving up 147.5 rushing yards per game, which ranks 64th in the country.
As the Irish players and coaching staff work to address the team’s offensive woes, the game against Wake Forest represents another crucial juncture in an up-and-down season. With a renewed focus on offensive efficiency and a resilient defense that has stepped up all year, Notre Dame should secure its eighth victory of the season on Saturday. Led by Hartman and Estime, key forces on offense, Notre Dame should reignite its scoring prowess against Wake Forest. With any luck, the Irish will emerge stronger from adversity and propel themselves toward a successful regular season finish.
