Steve Angeli Continues Focusing On Establishing Himself

Notre Dame quarterback Steve Angeli gained a lot of experience in 2023, and he is looking on building on that in 2024

The backup quarterback is always one of if not the most fan popular players on a football roster. Notre Dame quarterback Steve Angeli probably ascended to that position even before he technically was the backup after leading a last-minute touchdown drive to close out the 2022 Blue-Gold Game as a freshman early enrollee.  

Now heading into his junior season, Angeli is looking for than just a backup role to Duke transfer Riley Leonard. He also has real game experience under his belt, including his first career start in last December’s 40-8 Sun Bowl win over Oregon State.  

"When you have a year full of preparation and glimpses that you’ve done it in different times through the season and then finally when you have that much time to prepare and get an opportunity to go out there and put it all together, it means a lot,” Angeli recently said of his Sun Bowl start. "Like you said, it’s a big confidence boost when you see the full picture come together in a game. 

"It’s a surreal feeling,” Angeli continued. "I mean, winning is addictive and really everything you do here is about winning. Notre Dame (has) a standard set at winning. So, when you walk on that field that’s all that’s on your mind. So, walking off with you know, first start, first win, it means the world but you’re just hungry for more.” 

Angeli was 15 for 19 for 232 yards and three touchdown passes to three different receivers in his first starting action. He was 19 for 25 for 272 yards with four touchdowns and an interception in his other six games that came in mop-up duty during his sophomore season that saw him back-up Sam Hartman.

The Sun Bowl starting experience came to Angeli after Hartman opted out of the game. Angeli credits his former teammate for the part he played in his development.  

"I say it every time that I’m able to say it, Sam Hartman played a big role,” Angeli explained. "Kind of being under his wing for a year, developing that relationship with him, he taught me a lot. Like I’ve said before, he’s played a lot of ball. So, asking him all those questions, getting to know him on a personal level and how he carries himself on and especially off the field. His process definitely helped me just kind of learn those little secrets. All went into the preparation that I kind of took the mindset every day at practice, like I’m preparing like the starter. So, when my time came it wasn’t any different.” 

Angeli also credits Fighting Irish quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli, who was in his first season with Notre Dame in that position last year. Hartman’s arrival at Notre Dame last winter prompted transfer portal departures of Drew Pyne in December of 2022 and then Tyler Buchner at the end of the 2023 spring semester.  

Irish head coach Marcus Freeman, then offensive coordinator Gerad Parker and Guidugli debated whether or not to bring in another transfer portal QB, but they ultimately decided to give Angeli and then freshman Kenny Minchey more developmental opportunities during fall training camp.  

"Those added reps in summer and fall camp, somewhere in practice six, practice seven, all of a sudden Steve was getting off the front side and hitting the backside,” Guidugli explained. "Or he was changing the protection and telling this guy ‘Give me that’ and it was like ‘S*%#, who’s this guy?’ I think he just continued to progress, and his confidence is a lot of that. 

 "I think so much of playing that position is confidence,” Guidugli continued. "You have to believe in yourself first and foremost, but the other guys in the huddle have to believe in you. It’s my job to build that. You build that by going out there and being consistent. Through our preparation, it’s like ‘You can to this, you did it right here, now you have to consistently do this.” 

Whether it’s the experience or the confidence that came with it, Angeli looks and feels like a different quarterback as he goes through his third spring with his third offensive coordinator with the Fighting Irish. The Westfield, N.J. native says he feels completely different now compared to even a year ago at this time.  

"One hundred percent,” Angeli proclaimed. "I think every year, every block of spring, summer, fall, I’ve taken a jump in confidence and preparation. The goal as the quarterback in a development setting is to continue to take those jumps from each block to each block and being able to turn on the tape from a year ago and see where you’re at now. Just seeing development.” 

Angeli started his freshman season as the No. 3 quarterback behind Buchner and Pyne in 2022. He rose to No. 2 after the injury that sidelined Buchner for most of the season. He again moved to No. 2 behind Hartman after Buchner transferred nearly a year ago. Regardless of where he is this fall, his 2023 campaign as Hartman’s understudy left an impact on the backup quarterback.  

"Steve got a year to sit and watch Sam and how he prepared,” Guidugli stated. "His daily routine both in an outside of the season and I think he kind of embraced that. You can see here how its paid off. He’s going to go out there and he’s going to be prepared for practice and he’s going to know the looks. He’s going to know what we’re doing and he’s going to be able to go out and execute. I’m really happy with his development too because if we saw footage from him last spring compared to this spring ... totally different guy. Last spring, it was like ‘Man I don’t know.’ But it’s like “Steve can be a guy.’” 

Angeli will hope his combination of moxey and experience will allow him to once again hold off a charge from talented younger players and continue pushing towards one day being the starting quarterback at Notre Dame.

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