"No Shot": Quarterback Sam Hartman says he will not return to Wake Forest for a sixth season
The last time Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman spoke to the media, his team was 6-1 and would become the No. 10 team in the country the following day.
Over the past three weeks, when the complexion of Wake Forest’s season drastically changed, the mistakes were evident. Against Louisville, the Deacs had eight turnovers, including three interceptions and three fumbles from Hartman. In the loss to NC State, the redshirt junior threw three more picks. And in the midst of a near-perfect game against North Carolina, Hartman gave up a crucial interception late in the fourth quarter that set up a game-winning kick for the Tar Heels.
When Hartman compared last season with this year, the issues on offense lie in the little things.
“As a unit, as an individual, [it’s the] detail,” Hartman said. “Last year, we won those games and made the plays we needed to make. For me, it’s the turnovers and [a lack] of detail across the ball. It’s not anything I’m new to. You have to play execution football, and when you don’t, you’re not going to win games.”
When thinking about execution, Hartman pointed to a specific play that can be seen as a microcosm of Wake Forest’s past three weeks. Leading 34-33 in the fourth quarter, with a fourth down on the North Carolina 10-yard line, Hartman failed to see an open Jahmal Banks that would’ve extended the drive. Instead, he attempted to get the first down with his legs and fumbled.
“I had 80 open and probably should have hit him,” Hartman said. “Those plays, you look back and it's just execution. That's not really UNC making a play to beat us. It's us just not doing our jobs, myself in particular. Those are the ones that keep you up at night.”
Despite how long Hartman has been at Wake Forest — now in his fifth year — he still has one year of eligibility left. When asked whether he would return to Winston-Salem, his answer was clear, coming before the question was even finished — “no shot.”
“I think people are sick and tired [of me],” Hartman joked. “The media is ready to talk to someone new and get some new catch phrases — my one-week seasons and cliche answers. I want to test my luck and see what happens. Obviously, we still have some football left to play here.”
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Through those five years, there’s a lot to look back on. As Hartman said himself, there is a new standard at Wake Forest, much to do with the raised level of play he and his teammates brought to the program. Things are a lot different now than they were half a decade ago.
“In 2018, we're playing these games and there's 100 students and the bleachers are half full,” Hartman said. “Now, [there is] an overflowing student section, and our bleachers are full. Recently it hasn't been great, but the past games — the fun times, the different wins and celebrations and big plays — I think all that will go down as some great memories.”
That’s especially relevant in terms of where Hartman was in August. With a blood clot injury that necessitated two separate surgeries, the future was unclear.
“It's definitely a full circle moment of my whole career here,” Hartman said. “The trials and tribulations of the team, different teams we've had, going through COVID. It was up in the air — playing this year, [playing] ever again. It was a long, hard road. It's a blessing to be back.”
Hartman and his fellow seniors will kick off their final home game for Wake Forest at 8 ET on Saturday.
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Essex is the lead football writer and a managing editor for Deacons Daily. Essex served as the Sports Editor for the Old Gold & Black for two years, in addition to roles as a beat and feature writer.