Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman opts out of Sun Bowl, Steve Angeli will make first career start

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Notre Dame will have a new starting quarterback in the Sun Bowl.

Sam Hartman called time on his college career during a video posted to his Instagram account Monday, which looked back at his six seasons of college football, starting at Wake Forest and wrapping up at Notre Dame, noting “the last time in 2023” that he suited up.

Hartman’s decision to opt out of Notre Dame’s bowl game is a reversal from Marcus Freeman’s assertion the quarterback would play one final time for the Irish in the postseason. Even Hartman himself referenced playing two more games after his alumni reunion against Wake Forest last month.

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It is not clear if Notre Dame’s tumble down the ACC’s bowl pecking order to El Paso, where the Irish will meet an Oregon State program facing a rash of opt-outs after losing head coach Jonathan Smith to Michigan State, played a part in the decision.

Either way, Hartman’s sole season at Notre Dame ends at 191-of-301 passing for 2,689 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Ironically, his biggest highlight may have been a scramble when Hartman rushed for 17 yards on 4th-and-16 during Notre Dame’s game-winning drive at Duke. Audric Estime scored on the next snap and the Irish kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive for another week.

Regardless, Notre Dame will now move forward to Steve Angeli, at least for one game, as the sophomore prepares for his first career start. In reserve duty this season, Angeli went 19-of-25 for 272 yards, four touchdowns and one interception, which came on his final pass attempt at Stanford. His touchdown passes came against Tennessee State, Wake Forest and Pittsburgh, which was a textbook rollout and 19-yard connection with freshman tight end Cooper Flanagan.

You heard the banana, it’s peanut butter Angeli time. #GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/oVk7uuX7YC

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 11, 2023

It remains to be seen who else will play with Angeli at the Sun Bowl, with Blake Fisher and Marist Liufau the only public opt outs. Joe Alt and Estime could decide to move forward to their NFL Draft prep, although neither have made decisions on next season. Xavier Watts and Howard Cross will play in the Sun Bowl, with Cross already on record that he’ll be back next season. Watts appears to be leaning toward a return as well.

If Notre Dame went without Estime and Alt after losing Fisher and Hartman, it would mean just two Irish starters on offense from opening week against Navy would be available for the bowl game: receiver Jayden Thomas and guard Pat Coogan.

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As for Angeli, the Sun Bowl could be both proof he deserves a shot to start for Notre Dame next season and evidence he could start somewhere else. The Irish remain in position to land Duke transfer Riley Leonard, whose decision appear imminent. It would be a shock if Notre Dame was not his ultimate destination.

Regardless, Angeli has shown enough this season to make Notre Dame want to see more of the sophomore. If he shows well against Oregon State, that trend may continue, whether it keeps Angeli at Notre Dame or not. Either way, he’ll get his best opportunity yet to prove himself in the Sun Bowl now that Hartman has left the scene.

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(Photo: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)

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