"Nobody's been watching Wake Forest?"
That's a question Brent Venables asked the media when the Clemson defensive coordinator was asked what's different about Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman this year compared to previous seasons on Monday.
"They've been really good," Venables said. "He's been really good. He's the same guy. He's just really good again. Hey, I'm not trying to be funny, haven't they been good? They were like right there last year."
Venables isn't wrong, although his defense held Wake 13 points last year. The Demon Deacons (9-1, 6-0 ACC), who visit Memorial Stadium on Saturday at noon with a ton of the line, have had a formidable offense, ranking in the top 5 in the ACC in scoring offense the last six seasons. They're No. 1 right now, in large part due to Hartman, who's third in the conference in passing yards per game.
"He's more of the same to me," Venables said. "That's what Sam's been. He played in the Shrine Bowl with one of my sons and that's what he did there. He's been a baller for a long time."
That is accurate. Hartman is listed as a redshirt sophomore, but the Charlotte, N.C., native has played since the 2018 season. This year, though, he's been at his best, completing 59.8 percent of his passes for 3,163 yards. Hartman has tossed 30 touchdown passes to eight interceptions and scored nine more times via the run.
"Sam Hartman is playing as well as any player in college football," Venables said.
This is not the first time the Tigers, who rank 11th nationally in total defense, have faced a big-time quarterback this season. Pitt's Kenny Pickett, the leading passer in the league, threw for 300 yards on Clemson. And like Pickett, Hartman has a ton of experience and knowledge in the offense.
It's a unique system run by head coach Dave Clawson, built around the slow-developing mesh play, a fast pace and getting defenders out of position. Venables knows he has to get pressure on the quarterback and have his cornerbacks play at a high level against Hartman, who's averaging a career-best 9.1 yards per pass attempt.
"He's developed," Venables said. "He's matured. He's got a lot of moxie, good instincts, a great presence to him. He understands the offense and really has a good structural understanding of defenses and how they're going to try to attack. He makes a lot of really, really good decisions."
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