Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson is not the least bit happy about the manner in which Notre Dame serenaded quarterback Sam Hartman during Saturday’s matchup between the schools.
It was the final home game in South Bend, Ind., for Hartman, less than three months after he played his first contest for the Fighting Irish.
“(Notre Dame) bought him and rented him for a year, and now they love him?” Clawson said at his Wednesday press conference.
Hartman became a star quarterback at Wake Forest and spent five seasons at the school before transferring to Notre Dame for this season and raking in NIL money. He passed for 12,967 yards, 110 touchdowns and 41 interceptions for the Demon Deacons.
While Clawson understands the rules now in place, he wasn’t the least impressed with the way Notre Dame flaunted his former quarterback during the Irish’s 45-7 whipping of Wake Forest.
“Here’s a guy we recruited and we developed, and they are putting on a video of him, saying ‘We will always love you,’ ” Clawson said. “I’m like, ‘you only dated him for a couple of months. It can’t be love.’ We are the ones who love him. We had five years with him. You rented him for a season.
“They bought him and rented him for a year, and now they love him. When that video played, it’s just like, ‘holy cow, this is where college football is.’ ”
Hartman has passed for 2,549 yards, 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season for Notre Dame.
Clawson said he has no ill will towards Hartman, who passed for 277 yards and four touchdowns.
“Sam and I had a great discussion before the game and after the game, and I love the young man. I really do,” Clawson said. “I don’t blame him at all for what he did. That’s the system now. For him to have the opportunity to have that experience, and make that type of money in one year, who can fault him?”
