Notre Dame hosted Wake Forest in Week 12, with the Fighting Irish winning quite handily by a score of 45-7 thanks to an excellent performance from former Demon Deacons quarterback, Sam Hartman.
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Hartman was relatively flawless against his old team, going 21-for-29 with 277 yards passing and four touchdowns and no interceptions. While it hasn't been even close to a perfect season for Notre Dame, Hartman got off to a hot start and quickly became a fan favorite.
So much, in fact, they bid farewell to Hartman by blaring Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" while showing the beloved QB on the videoboard, which did not exactly go over well with Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson.
When Clawson began discussing his problem with Notre Dame celebrating Hartman in such an outward, perhaps over-the-top way, he started off with, "There's no point in complaining about it." And then, more or less, proceeded to complain about it like he had to watch an ex-girlfriend walk off to wedding bells.
Now, does Clawson have a point? Sure. To a certain degree, it's understandable. But it's hardly impossible for an enormous college football fanbase to fully embrace a player — especially a quarterback of all positions — after just one season.
Here's the entirety of what Clawson had to say about Notre Dame's interesting music selection, as well as how he feels about Sam Hartman.
Dave Clawson’s (excellent) response today:
“[Notre Dame] only dated [Sam Hartman] for a couple months. [ND] bought him and rented him for a year and now they love him? This is where college football is.” https://t.co/YBhX8fhnQl pic.twitter.com/k6YSjCuCoB
— #FreeEftonReid aka DEAC MACHINE (@TheDeacMachine) November 21, 2023
"There's no point in complaining about it," Clawson said. "Um, ya know, we saw it last week in South Bend, right? I mean it's, here's a guy that we recruited and we developed, and ya know they're puttin' a video on him saying 'We will always love you'. And I'm like [laughs] you only dated him for a couple months, it can't be love. We're the ones that love him, we had five years with him. You rented him for a season."
For a head coach to have spent so much significant time working with Hartman as his quarterback, it's completely understandable to have a bittersweet feeling upon seeing him in a different uniform on the opposing sideline. Not to mention seeing said quarterback absolutely tattooing your defense to the point the game was long over by the third quarter.
What's not entirely clear is if it was necessary to dig this deep during a session with the media. Anyway, Clawson continued on with the following:
"So, they bought him and rented him for a year and now they love him. So it's, uh, ya' know, when that video played I was like 'Holy cow, this is where college football is' ... whatever, I'm past the point, it is what it is, right? And again, Sam and I had a great discussion before the game and after the game ... I don't blame him at all for what he did."
Clawson also went on to say that no one could fault Sam Hartman for taking the opportunity at Notre Dame and "make that type of money in a year."
We can all complain about the transfer portal for a variety of reasons, but one thing that's perhaps getting lost in the shuffle by Clawson, who clearly thinks very highly of Hartman, might be exactly why the 24-year-old quarterback was so instantly magnetic with fans of the Fighting Irish.
From the majestic mane he sported all season to the hair flip — a look and move that garnered a ton of attention right off the bat — to moments like the following clip with South Bend media, where Hartman discussed a female fan slinging a marshmallow that landed in his hot chocolate, are among just some of the reasons as to why he became a huge hit from day one.
Sam Hartman on Marshmallows and a Thank You to Notre Dame. pic.twitter.com/OrBIlD5e53
— The New ND Network (@TNNDN) November 19, 2023
Seriously, it's really more than OK for two fanbases to adore and appreciate the same player. Yes, even over the course of just one season playing football at Notre Dame.
