Sam Hartman set for return

Sam Hartman’s indefinite absence is going to wind up in Wake Forest’s star quarterback missing only one game.

Wake Forest announced that Hartman will play this weekend at Vanderbilt. The fifth-year quarterback has been out since Aug. 10 with a non-football medical issue, which we now know was a blood clot in the subclavian vein, known as Paget-Schroetter syndrome, or effort thrombosis.

“This process has made me appreciate all the people at Wake Forest University and around our football program for how they care for us as student-athletes," Hartman said through a news release. "I am very appreciative of Dr. Julie Freischlag, Dr. Matthew Goldman, Niles Fleet and everyone on our medical staff who worked with me throughout this process.

"There will be time for me to tell my complete story, but right now I am just really excited to get back on the field with my teammates and compete each day to help our team get ready for Vanderbilt this Saturday in Nashville. Let’s get it, Deacs!”

Hartman has not practiced since Aug. 8. On Aug. 9 – a non-practice day of fall camp – Hartman underwent a medical procedure not related to a football injury, with the announcement coming in the morning of Aug. 10 that he would be out for an indefinite amount of time.

“As I said from the beginning, Sam Hartman’s return to the field would be left up to our medical professionals," coach Dave Clawson said through a news release. "As a two-time captain and someone who is one of the finest leaders I have had the pleasure to coach, Sam attacked this rehabilitation process and it has been really special to see how everyone inside and out of our program supported Sam since the announcement last month."

In his absence, Mitch Griffis completed 21 of 29 passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns, without an interception, against VMI. It was the first start of the third-year quarterback’s career at Wake Forest, and he made an early and lasting impression that he’ll be the future of the position.

Now he’ll move back into a No. 2 role with Hartman regaining control of the offense. Griffis’ tweet on Monday evening seemed to confirm something of a timetable for when the team learned of Hartman’s status.

Hartman is not expected to be eased back into things, per sources. Wake’s starting quarterback in three of the past four seasons, Hartman has developed enough timing and chemistry with the rest of the Deacons’ offense that it should be a relatively seamless transition back into a position from which Hartman accounted for 50 touchdowns last season (39 passing, 11 rushing).