Notre Dame Players Of The Game - Wake Forest Edition

The 19th-ranked Notre Dame improved to 8-3 with a convincing 45-7 victory over Wake Forest. Notre Dame out-gained the Deacons 450-232 and controlled the action in all three phases of the game.

There were a number of standouts for the Irish in the victory, but three players stood above the rest.

OFFENSE - Audric Estime, RB - Sam Hartman, QB

Estime Stats: 22 carries, 115 yards, 5.2 YPC, 1 TD
Hartman Stats: 21-29, 72.4%, 277 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Runners Up: WR Rico Flores Jr., TE Eli Raridon

While the pass game took some time to get going, running back Audric Estime put the Irish offense on his shoulders in the early going. Estime rushed for 52 yards in the first quarter, including a 21-yard conversion on a 3rd-and-2 on the second drive.

Estime was sharp throughout, showing good decision making and vision with the downhill runs. Notre Dame didn't use Estime much in the second and third quarters, but he piled up extra yards in the fourth quarter as the Irish rolled.

Quarterback Sam Hartman struggled out of the gate, completing just 2 of 7 passes for 20 yards. The pressure got to him early and he missed multiple open receivers. He settled in late in the first quarter and ripped Wake Forest up.

After the rough start, Hartman completed 17 of his next 19 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns, which broke the game open. He hit Tobias Merriweather over the top for a 35-yard touchdown in the second quarter, and he hit Eli Raridon with a perfect strike on the first offensive play of the third quarter to make it a 24-7 game.

Hartman's final pass at Notre Dame Stadium was a perfect strike to Jaden Greathouse, who then took off for a 46-yard touchdown.

DEFENSE/ST - Javontae Jean-Baptiste, DE

Stats: 5 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 blocked kick
Runners Up: LB JD Bertrand, S Thomas Harper

The defense did what it needed to do in the win, but there weren't a lot of standouts, at least not compared to past game. One player that did thrive against Wake Forest was sixth-year senior end Javontae Jean-Baptiste.

Wake Forest had a really tough time beating him on the edge in the pass game and run game. Jean-Baptiste was effective setting the edge and he had multiple early pressures, including ending Wake's second drive of the game with a sack.

This performance symbolized what Jean-Baptiste has done all season. He has been a steady player all season, and his ability to make plays in all phases has been his hallmark. Jean-Baptiste also gets the special teams player of the game honor thanks to his second quarter blocked field goal.

Be sure to check out the Irish Breakdown message board, the Champions Lounge

Irish Breakdown Content

2023 Scholarship Chart
2023 Football Schedule

Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Offers

2024 Commit Rankings - Offense
2024 Commit Rankings - Defense

2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Offense
2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Defense

———————

Become a premium Irish Breakdown member, which grants you access to all of our premium content and our premium message board! Click on the link below for more.

BECOME A MEMBER

Be sure to stay locked into Irish Breakdown all the time!

Join the Irish Breakdown community!
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown YouTube channel
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown podcast on iTunes
Follow me on Twitter: @CoachD178
Like and follow Irish Breakdown on Facebook

Sign up for the FREE Irish Breakdown daily newsletter