Former Notre Dame quarterback Steve Angeli is back for another try with the Syracuse Orange. After his 2025 season was cut short due to a gruesome knee injury, he returned to the ACC squad and is the odds-on favorite to be the team’s starting QB this fall. During his media day session, he told reporters what he learned during his time in South Bend and how it made him tougher and more focused.
“I think I've learned a lot from my time in Notre Dame. Had a lot of great coaches, a lot of great teammates, the culture there,” Angeli said. “I've learned a lot, you know, throughout my three years there. I've taken a lot of lessons, a lot of trials and tribulations that I experienced there and kind of used them as learning moments for when I got here. I'm grateful for my time there, but I'm really focused on this season coming up, playing for Syracuse and getting ourselves in position to win the ACC.”
“ I think, you know, I've been through a lot in my life, you know, being a backup for some time, you know, having to transfer, going through a season-ending injury. I think I have a lot of experience,” the former Notre Dame super-sub added.
“I always think experience is the greatest teacher. So for me, off the field, the biggest thing that I've been trying to do is get better in my relationships with people, you know, being able to get a little closer to my faith to God. And Coach Fran has done a great job helping me do that and really just relying on his plan that he has for me and everything that's been going on.”
Best of today thus far, getting this 1 on 1 with Steve Angeli.
— Brodie Booth (@COLLEGEFBONLY) July 16, 2026
Kid has the tools to win the Heisman and lead the ACC in all passing categories. pic.twitter.com/8SahwEL6nS
Steve Angeli credits Notre Dame for preparing him to lead Syracuse
Angeli was off to a monster start in his first season with Syracuse last fall. He threw for 1,316 yards (second most in the FBS at the time) and 10 touchdowns. However, he suffered a left leg injury in the game against Clemson and began a long road back to the field.
During media days, the once heir-apparent for Notre Dame told the media that he felt 100% “weeks ago” and is fully ready to do whatever it takes to start in 2026.
Angeli spent three years with Notre Dame and was the main backup for both Sam Hartman and Riley Leonard. In that time, he made the most of whenever he got on the field, throwing for 772 yards, 10 touchdowns and just one interception.
When the Irish announced that he, CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey would do battle for the starting quarterback job for the 2025 season, he saw the writing on the wall and hit the spring Transfer Portal (when the spring portal still existed) and moved to Fran Brown’s team.
His transfer originally set up what would have been a moving reunion as the Orange went to South Bend for the penultimate game of the season. He’ll still get to face off against his old team, assuming he stays healthy and is the starter, as Notre Dame comes to the Carrier Dome for the season finale on November 28.
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