Did Notre Dame football overvalue Sam Hartman during the offseason?
By Dante Pryor
Notre Dame football’s offense was wildly inconsistent this season.
To place the offensive inconsistencies of the Notre Dame football offense squarely on the shoulders of Sam Hartman would be short-sighted and just plain incorrect. Offensive coordinator Gerad Parker has to be accountable for the scheme and its inability to put the ball in the hands of the playmakers.
There is no way that Chris Tyree, the fastest player on the offense, should have 37 touches for the season — 11 of those are punt returns. There is no intentionality when it comes to getting him the ball. Tobias Merriweather leads the team in yards per reception (20.6) has 13 receptions. That’s not on Hartman; that’s on the scheme.
That said, one could argue that if Notre Dame had a high-level playmaker at quarterback against Ohio State and Clemson, they win those games. Head coach Marcus Freeman did get conservative against the Buckeyes. The defense did its job, holding Marvin Harrison, Jr. to 32 receiving yards.
Hartman completed 68 percent of his passes and threw a touchdown pass in that game. He didn’t put the ball in danger to give Ohio State extra possessions. He did everything you want a quarterback to do against an elite opponent except make a play in a crucial situation to win close.
The offense was terrible in the first half against Clemson. Hartman threw a pick-six in the first half and found themselves down 24-9 before they got off the mat. That said, the Irish defense allowed seven points in the second half, and the offense could not score touchdowns. That was a common theme in their marquee games.
All season, it seemed as if the offense had a different feel depending on who they played. The Irish were bullies this season. They beat up on lesser teams where the quarterback did not need to be a difference-maker.
The Pitt game is a perfect example. Hartman was awful in that game, but it didn’t matter. Notre Dame football still put 58 points on the Panthers. Much of that was the defense forcing five turnovers.