Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM SEPT. 2, 2023 21 BY TYLER HORKA AND JACK SOBLE D UBLIN, Ireland — Pageantry paralleled promise in Dublin. Notre Dame Stadium pub- lic address announcer Chris Ackels, who made the trip with the rest of ND's media team to help put forth a feeling of home away from home some 3,614 miles northeast of South Bend, had a message for 49,000 spectators at Aviva Stadium moments before kickoff of Navy versus Notre Dame in the 2023 Aer Lingus College Football Classic. "For some, this may be your first American football game," Ackels said. "For others, you've been to many. But either way, this is one you won't forget." He was right. The Fighting Irish trounced the Midshipmen, 42-3. If you bleed blue and gold that final will stick with you forever. It'll certainly never leave Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman who earned his first win in a season opener in his first ever trip outside the United States. Freeman said the atmosphere was un- believable. He said the production of the game itself was awesome. Everything he heard it would be, and then some. "You couldn't draw it up any better," Freeman said. But it was potential for Freeman's team's future — promise — that was just as invigorating as the spectacle (and sub- sequent score line) of American football on European soil to inaugurate the 2023 college football season — pageantry — that pervaded the Ireland air on a cool summer night in the Emerald City. The Temple Bar entertainment district is worth the price of a trip to Dublin on its own, for some. Add in the rich history of the country; castles, cathedrals and Catholicism abound. Ireland is a tourist's trance for a reason. Many reasons. The final weekend in August's No. 1 reason? To witness in person at a his- toric event what graduate student quar- terback Sam Hartman could do for the Notre Dame offense. Folks left the grounds wondering what he can't do. In front of an enthusiastic, energized, sold-out audience, Hartman put Irish fans all over in trances of their own. He also put some icing on the Guinness Chocolate Cake that was Notre Dame's Week 0 win. He completed 19 of 23 passes for 251 yards with 4 touchdowns in his Notre Dame debut. "I'm going to have to make another visit back here," Hartman said in his 2023 Aer Lingus Classic MVP acceptance ap- pearance. "But for now, Go Irish." The Irish can go with Hartman, that's for sure. And he forever has a home in Dublin after what he did there Aug. 26. That too is certain. Hartman and the Irish put the game away by halftime; he was 14-of-17 pass- ing for 196 yards with 2 touchdowns at that point. The Irish led, 28-0. On his second attempt of the second half, Hartman sidestepped a pass rusher to buy himself more time in the pocket. Then he hurried to the line of scrim- mage and fired a scoring strike to wide receiver Jaden Greathouse inside the near left pylon for the freshman's sec- ond touchdown of the game. It wasn't just Hartman and Greathouse either. The supporting cast completed the party. Greathouse was one of nine Notre Dame pass catchers to record at least one reception. Junior running back Audric Estimé got the scoring started with a 1-yard plunge on a drive in which he had 50 other yards from scrimmage. He finished with 121 yards on 18 touches. An efficient night for RB1. The rest of the Irish tailbacks carried a combined 15 times for 98 yards. Soph- omore Jadarian Price galloped into the end zone from 19 yards out on his first career carry. The going was good for all involved. Notre Dame director of athlet- ics Jack Swarbrick was certainly aware that; he fist-bumped four offensive line starters on the sideline in the waning moments of the game. Everyone got their due. "Up front, it starts there," Hartman said. And then that Notre Dame defense. It pitched a shutout until there was 3:33 left in the fourth quarter. Navy kicked a 31-yard field goal to merely put points on the board as a formality. The Irish help the Midshipmen's triple-option offense to 2.6 yards per carry on 48 attempts. Tra n s l a t i o n : I t wa s a s s to u t a s O'Hara's. Sure, when Irish fans far and wide re- cite the indelible tally years from now, they'll always have to say, "Navy, three" instead of "Navy, zero." But they'll also always have memories that will last a lifetime from a game they won't forget. FIRST QUARTER NOTRE DAME 14, NAVY 0 Top Moment: On his first career carry, with a minute to go in the first quarter, Notre Dame sophomore run- ning back Jadarian Price — back from a torn Achilles tendon in June 2022 — burst through a hole and sprinted 19 yards for a touchdown. Feature Performer: Notre Dame graduate student linebacker Jack Kiser was everywhere in the first quarter, pick- ing up 5 of the team's 7 solo tackles. And with the Midshipmen driving and facing a fourth-and-3, it was Kiser who had the pressure on Navy quarterback Tai Lavatai. Stats: The Irish outgained the Mid- shipmen 154-45. Notre Dame possessed the ball for 10:01 to Navy's 4:59. DAZZLING IN DUBLIN Sam Hartman started his Fighting Irish career with a tone-setting performance in Notre Dame's 42-3 victory over Navy Hartman was nearly flawless for the Fighting Irish in his first start with the program, connecting on 19 of 23 throws for 251 yards with 4 touchdowns and no interceptions. PHOTO BY JOHN CROTHERS