Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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12 SEPT. 30, 2023 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED UNDER THE DOME Twenty-four-year-old Sam Hartman said on "The Official Heisman Trophy Podcast" sometimes when he walks around the Notre Dame campus he sees students who look like 12-year-olds to him. He sympathizes. "I looked like that when I was a freshman," Hartman said. "I was 170 pounds soaking wet. No facial hair, no nothing." Hartman has been through a bunch since then. His beard is strong and his career résumé might be even stronger. Given that he's been in the game at this level since 2018, he's had more time to watch and study it than all of his college quarterback peers. Watching and studying is not limited to his contemporaries, obviously. Hartman named two current NFL quarterbacks who pique his interest in terms of how they operate and how they play the position: Aaron Rodgers of the New York Jets and Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles. "Aaron Rodgers, the style, who he is, his persona of playing the game and playing it the way he wants, I'm obviously thinking about him with the injury," Hart- man said. "I know that's got to be devastating for really the National Football League with his performance and his caliber and what he brings to the table. "I love Jalen Hurts," Hartman added. "Just his story and who he is as a person from what I've heard is incredible. And the way his college career went and the highs and lows of his life. You look at him and say, 'Oh, it's probably super easy for him,' I think that is a guy I look at and like to watch. 'I wish I could run like him and throw like him, but he is someone I have a heavy respect for and know he's one of a kind." Rodgers is a four-time NFL MVP and a Super Bowl champion. Hurts finished second in MVP voting last season and led the Eagles to a Super Bowl appear- ance. He's only 25, one year older than Hartman, and seems to have a lengthy, successful career ahead of him. Rodgers, meanwhile, is 39 and just suffered a season-ending Achilles injury four plays into his first year with the Jets. He doesn't have anything left to prove, though. Whatever happens for him on the field from this point forward is icing on the cake. For Hartman, the remainder of this season at Notre Dame is all about elevating his next-level potential and parlaying a successful last year of collegiate eligi- bility into an NFL Draft selection. No matter what, Hartman's time at Notre Dame has already been a hit. "The fans and the national, global outreach that we have as this brand and this university is special and something I don't think I'll ever truly comprehend until I'm out of it," Hartman said. "But it's definitely a cool thing to be a part of." —Tyler Horka On Sept. 23, the Irish wore green. Notre Dame players donned green jerseys and pants. The fans came clad in green attire, too. And when they arrived at Notre Dame Stadium, a light-up green LED wristband waited for them at every seat. The wristbands, sponsored by the Rockne Athletics Fund, were programmed according to seat number and lit up in different patterns throughout the game. The Rockne Athletics Fund is a group of Notre Dame fans, family and alumni who join in the shared vision of providing the best academic and athletic opportunities for Notre Dame student-athletes. Such wristbands have become popular at con- certs and other sporting venues such as NHL are- nas. Notre Dame took the next step and imple- mented them at a 77,622-seat football stadium for one of the biggest games of the 2023 college football season. The wristbands had a QR code printed on them. By scanning, fans received a 20 percent off code to use at shop.fightingirish.com. In addition, 10 lucky fans won a variety of exclusive Notre Dame memorabilia items, including autographs and game-used equipment. —Tyler Horka How The Irish Lit Up Notre Dame Stadium In Green Vs. Ohio State Notre Dame Stadium continues to try to enhance the in-game experience for fans who make the trip to South Bend. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER Sam Hartman Names Two NFL Role Models Hartman has two NFL quarterbacks he likes to look to: Aaron Rodgers and Jalen Hurts. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER