Did Notre Dame football overvalue Sam Hartman during the offseason?

Sam Hartman has had a solid season for the Notre Dame football team. However, did he deliver up to expectations this season?

Sam Hartman is a good college quarterback who’s won a ton of football games. A three-star recruit from North Carolina, Hartman became the ACC’s all-time leading passer at Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons won 38 games with Hartman as starting quarterback, including 11 games in 2021.

The Deacons played for the ACC championship and won the Gator Bowl against Rutgers that season. Hartman made himself into an outstanding college quarterback. With the season nearly over, it’s time to ask, did he meet expectations at Notre Dame?

Many writers expected the Irish to contend for the College Football Playoff. Hartman was supposed to be the missing link between getting to the Playoff and possibly winning a game. Neither is going to happen this season.

After a heartbreaking loss to Ohio State early in the season, they rebounded against Duke, only to play its worst game of the season to Louisville. The second loss sealed Notre Dame’s playoff fate. However, there was still much to play for, including a College Football Playoff berth.

Then, the Irish traveled to Clemson and played its second-worst game. There is an argument, however, that if Notre Dame could have made plays in the second half, it could have won that game. The lack of playmaking at quarterback is a large part of the narrative of this season.

Was Hartman a disappointment for Notre Dame football this season? Were his expectations overblown? Let’s see if there’s an answer to these questions.