Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1508272
BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM SEPT. 30, 2023 13 UNDER THE DOME "It's something if you start buying into it and really selling your soul to … that fame and that spotlight it will go pretty quickly and pretty fast. Playing for six years, you can get caught up in it. You can get lost in it. … One of the biggest things in my head is how much fun it is to be out here and part of Notre Dame's team." — Notre Dame graduate student quarterback Sam Hartman in a story on CBSSports.com "I've been extremely pleased with the play of our offensive line. I know we had high expectations coming into the season, but I think they've done a good job of jelling as a unit. You have two guys on the inside between Pat [Coogan] and Rocco [Spindler] that were first-time starters four games ago who continuously grow. "There are always things you fix and work on and work to improve. Coach [Joe] Rudolph and that offensive line have done a really good job of improving and going out on Saturdays and execut- ing at a high level." — Head coach Marcus Freeman on Notre Dame's offensive line "Estimé wasn't on my scouting list when the season began since he's a junior, but he has quickly rushed his way into the rankings (No. 85 overall at the moment). He punished the Central Michigan defense to the tune of 176 yards and a score on 20 carries over the weekend, and he also ripped off a 41-yarder that showed off his runaway speed on a 5-foot-11, 227-pound frame." — ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller on Notre Dame's Audric Estimé being among his draft risers heading into Week 4 of the college football season "He's in that mix [among the best quarterbacks in college football this season]. We've talked about it. It's a huge class. So many of these guys came back for that extra COVID year, extra NIL year or whatever. Whatever got them back, a lot of guys returned. So far, Sam has done everything that he can do. "We had a scout at the game a couple of weeks ago against NC State. That was kind of his big first test coming off the Tennessee State and Navy games. He has played well." — Reese's Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy on Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman "I can't decide what to make of Marcus Free- man's Fighting Irish at the moment. They are handling their business, and the one time they played a top-50 team to date — dodging storms at NC State in Week 2 — they put the game away with a decisive 21-0 run. But their defense has failed to meet SP+ projections for three straight games, and they beat CMU by the same margin that moribund Michigan State did. Upside: high. Consistency: lower than I'd prefer." — ESPN analyst Bill Connelly on the Irish after their 4-0 start "The Big Ten is a natural fit. I mean, what are we talking about? They should be in the Big Ten Con- ference or independent. The ACC makes no sense whatsoever. But the Big Ten, they're right there. You imagine how cool that would be: Notre Dame in the Big Ten Conference. But do I see that hap- pening? As long as they're winning games — which I think they will. They have a really good coach, an old Buckeye, Marcus Freeman — I don't see that in the near future." —FOX college football analyst Urban Meyer "It seems like Notre Dame has gotten better since Tyler Buchner went to Alabama and Tommy Rees — the offensive coordinator — went to Ala- bama. Notre Dame's a much better program with- out the offensive coordinator that had been there under Brian Kelly." — Paul Finebaum of ESPN PHOTO BY JOHN CROTHERS TOP TWEETS THEY SAID IT THEY SAID IT "He's explosive. He's powerful. … He was coming off an injury last year, and he's just playing at a different speed this year, like the foot quickness, the power and then the play temperament, the motor and finishing guys. They only played Central Michigan [Sept. 16], but from start to finish of the game he was trying to kill people." — An anonymous NFL scouting source via On3's Matt Zenitz on Notre Dame junior left tackle Blake Fisher