Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman: 'Blame me'
Sam Hartman’s return to Clemson didn’t go as planned as No. 15 Notre Dame (7-3) fell to Clemson (5-4) 31-23.
It was a game where defense was likely to be king and turnovers would be crucial. Notre Dame did force two turnovers, including an Xavier Watts pick to open the second half, but the Irish turned it over three times and Hartman threw two interceptions on the day.
Hartman would finish 13-of-30 for 146 yards and the two picks, which in turn put Notre Dame’s offense in a bind as they failed to cross the 50 in the final six possessions of the game.
“If you guys want to blame anyone, put it on me,” Hartman boldly stated. “I played very poor today. I didn’t play well enough to be a winning quarterback, a winning football team. All the different situations and scenarios we were in today is partly my doing and really all my doing.
“I just didn’t execute well enough. If you want to mention people on Twitter, blame OCs or Coach Freeman - no. Blame me. I’m big enough and man enough to admit I didn’t play up to the standard this team, fanbase and university deserves.”
Notre Dame settled for three first half field goals after moving the ball deep into Clemson territory and it proved costly as the Tigers took a 24-9 lead into halftime.
“We had ample opportunities to score and make plays and I just didn’t make them,” explained Hartman. “The guys around me were busting their butts. Guys were stepping up for guys who got hurt. It wasn’t good enough for me to go out there and play the way I played.”
The Irish offense squandered a big scoring opportunity late in the second quarter as Notre Dame had two receivers open on the same play.
Rico Flores Jr. ran a quick route to the front corner of the end zone and Hartman hesitated. The hesitation caused him to move to his next progression, which was Jaden Greathouse, who was also open in the back of the end zone, but the pass went well over his head.
“It was huge,” Hartman said of not scoring touchdowns. “Again, it goes down to execution. A one-score game is all about execution. I didn’t do it personally well enough. We were down there.
“Rico was wide open on one of the rollouts and I didn’t throw it. I was late to it and I didn’t make plays when they needed to be made. Later in that play, JG is open in the end zone and I overthrew him. It’s just unacceptable.”
Perhaps the biggest mistake came with just over eight minutes to go in the second quarter. Clemson had momentum following a Cade Klubnik touchdown pass and Hartman made a bad decision as Jeremiah Trotter Jr. picked him off and returned it 28 yards to give the Tigers a 24-6 lead.
“You got a guy underneath the pass and shouldn’t have thrown it,” stated Hartman. “I just tried to force one in there, especially backed up, you can’t do it. I did it. It goes back to me not playing well enough and not executing the calls that needed to be called.”
As for the final six drives, Notre Dame started inside its own 10 three times, but the defense forced a late turnover and the Irish took over possession at its own 42 and turned it over on downs six plays later.
The field position was tough, but Hartman wasn’t using that as an excuse for the loss.
“The field is the same length,” Hartman explained. “You’re going to have to drive those drives. Our defense kept them out of the end zone and scoring position. We didn’t give them any help all game and we haven’t given them help the past couple games.
“Again, it comes back to bite us when we don’t execute as an offense and I don’t execute as a quarterback.”
Notre Dame will now get to think about the loss for two weeks as the Irish have a second bye week. Hartman left Death Valley frustrated, but he doesn’t want Saturday to be his lasting legacy.
“We’re going to bounce back and the only thing I can give back to this program the last two games is to give everything I have and just play better,” said Hartman.
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