Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1498430
BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM JUNE/JULY 2023 17 BY TYLER HORKA W e're taught as fans, media and even coaches not to overreact to spring games. They're essentially just one practice at the conclusion of a span of 15 before the summer break. But what about the players themselves? Are they allowed to overreact? Apparently so. Just three days after he was wildly out- played by Wake Forest graduate transfer Sam Hartman in Notre Dame's Blue- Gold Game, junior quarterback Tyler Buchner entered the transfer portal. On the surface, it seemed Buchner's performance — 8-of-18 passing for 44 yards with 1 interception — when stacked up against Hartman's masterful effort — 13-of-16 passing for 189 yards with 2 touchdowns plus a rushing score — was enough to get Buchner to bolt. Of course, there was likely so much more to it than that. Regardless, the timing of Buch- ner's decision will forever be linked to what occurred at Notre Dame Stadium April 22. Fans who braved the cold, windy, rainy and even snowy at times weather were there to see Hartman, who started 45 games and threw 110 touch- down passes in five seasons at Wake Forest, put on a show. They were there to find optimism for the 2023 season. Hartman delivered. And then some. His Gold squad was up 14-0 before any- one who brought hand warmers into the venue could get them to activate. Hartman saw the field well, made the right reads and was accurate outside of a few throws. He operated the offense just as you'd hope a sixth-year senior would. "Man, he played well today," Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said in his postgame press conference. "He played really well, and it's really good to see. "And as the head coach of this foot- ball team, I'm like, 'Yeah, that's what you want to see.' You want to see pro- duction from the offense." He only saw it when Hartman was on the field. Hartman played four series and ac- ALL HEART, MAN Sam Hartman has near perfect day in leading the Gold team to a 24-0 victory in Notre Dame's Blue-Gold Game Hartman connected on 13 of 16 throws for 189 yards with 2 touchdowns and added a rushing score to lead the Gold squad to a 24-0 win in the Blue-Gold Game. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME ATHLETICS