Sam Hartman's Brilliance Has Fans Talking Heisman Trophy After Notre Dame Routs Navy

Sam Hartman's tenure in South Bend is officially underway.

The former Wake Forest quarterback transferred to Notre Dame for the 2023 season and his debut with the Fighting Irish came in the third annual Aer Lingus College Football Classic against Navy.

Hartman did not disappoint, going 19-23 for 251 yards and four touchdowns as he led the Fighting Irish to a 42-3 blowout victory over the Midshipmen.

His four touchdowns tied a program record for touchdown's in a debut, joining Jack Coan in 2021 and Ron Powlus in 1994.

Hartman's debut comes against a Navy team that ranks 68th going into the season so the dominance is not necessarily indicative of how he and the Irish will handle all opponents. Still, seeing the offense firing on all cylinders with a consistent presence at quarterback is a welcome sign for a program that saw two quarterbacks assume the starting role in 2022 and went 9-4.

Fans on social media were even more optimistic, hyping up Hartman's performance and even making a case for the 24-year-old to be in Heisman Trophy contention.

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If Hartman were to ride this performance into a Heisman Trophy victory he could further ascend the University's stature with the award. They are tied for the most winners of all-time with seven, so an eighth would put them alone at the top.

However, it's been awhile since South Bend has produced a winner in the award as Tim Brown is the last member of the program to win the Heisman when he earned it in the 1987 season. Hartman does not head in as the favorite but he is certainly a contender.

The next chapter of Hartman's time with the Fighting Irish is only a week away as the team is set to host Tennessee State September 2.