Notre Dame Football Spring Preview: What to Expect from QB Steve Angeli

Steve Angeli will enter spring football as the very slight favorite to be Notre Dame's starting quarterback

Notre Dame quarterback Steve Angeli (18) throws the ball on the sideline during a NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Stanford at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame will enter Spring football in a few weeks with sky-high expectations for the 2025 season to come, but also with a question at quarterback it hasn't had in almost a decade.

Who is going to be the starter?

Steve Angeli to Enter Spring Football as Slight Favorite

Jan 18, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Steve Angeli (18) throws the ball during practice at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Senior-to-be Steve Angeli is the only quarterback in this Notre Dame competition that has collegiate starting experience. However, that was for one bowl game against an Oregon State team that was gashed by portal exits so it was anything but a typical start. However, he has also been Notre Dame's top backup for two full seasons.

Steve Angeli's Orange Bowl Heroics for Notre Dame

Jan 9, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Steve Angeli (18) throws the ball in the first half against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Steve Angeli forever etched himself into Notre Dame football lore with his heroics this past January. as Notre Dame trailed Penn State 10-0 just before halftime of the Orange Bowl, Angeli entered for an injured Riley Leonard and guided the Irish to a field goal to get the game within one score by halftime. He went 6 of 7 passing on that single drive that helped turn the tide of the entire ball game.

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Steve Angeli Observations

1. Angeli the Safe Pick

Of the three candidates entering spring football, Angeli feels like the safe pick. His floor seems to be the highest because it is the only one that is known, but how high is his ceiling? Angeli can probably be a fine starting quarterback at Notre Dame, but is fine good enough if a national championship is the objective?

2. Angeli Sack Issues

It's been in limited time but my biggest concern with Angeli during his time has been in the sacks he takes. Even in the beatdowns of Oregon State and Purdue where he saw extended time, Angeli had issues getting rid of the ball and putting Notre Dame behind the sticks. Even in that heroic drive against Penn State, Angeli was sacked twice, fumbling once.

3. Does Angeli Fit Mike Denbrock's Mold?

Mike Denbrock has put together some of the nation's best offenses in recent years but look at the quarterbacks who have guided those units. Riley Leonard, Jayden Daniels, and Desmond Ridder are all very mobile quarterbacks. That's not to call Angeli a statue like Jack Coan was at Notre Dame, but does his athleticism put him at a disadvantage compared to Kenny Minchey and CJ Carr?

Final Thought on Steve Angeli For Now

Notre Dame quarterback Steve Angeli (18) runs onto the field with the other quarterbacks before a NCAA college football game against Florida State at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Angeli will enter Spring football in a couple of weeks as the slight favorite. He'll be the first to get first-team reps at quarterback. Can he do enough to never let that go? Angeli enters as the favorite and perhaps in a good way, with the most pressure of the quarterback candidates, too.

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