SOUTH BEND, Ind. — This week marked the start of the fourth year of spring football for Steve Angeli at Notre Dame. The senior-to-be quarterback went through his first spring with the Irish in 2022 as an early enrolled freshman.
Quarterbacks who have yet to win the starting job in college football tend to hit the transfer portal before reaching their fourth spring with the same program. Angeli could still leave Notre Dame in the summer after graduating in May, but that’s not the mindset he shared Friday following ND’s second spring practice.
“I think this is exactly where I’m meant to be right now, to be honest with you,” Angeli said. “Notre Dame is the place for me and I’m exactly where I want to be.”
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The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Angeli doesn’t have to share thoughts about potentially leaving, because he could very well be Notre Dame’s starting quarterback next season. He’s the most experienced member of a three-man competition with junior-to-be Kenny Minchey and sophomore-to-be CJ Carr.
The last time Angeli was called into game action, he helped lead Notre Dame to a 41-yard field goal before halftime to cut Penn State’s lead to 10-3 in the College Football Playoff semifinal hosted by the Orange Bowl. The drive gave Notre Dame a little bit of hope in what ended up in a 27-24 victory for the Irish.
Angeli, who was sacked twice, completed six of his seven passes for 44 yards on a drive that spanned 37 yards with him in the game.
“I feel like I went in and just did my job,” Angeli said. “That’s what was asked of me. I performed the way I needed to perform. Frankly just doing my job. I was already confident, and I’m confident now. It felt really good to support the team and be a part of that win.”
Angeli entered the game after starting quarterback Riley Leonard hit his head on the ground and needed to be evaluated for a possible concussion. That wasn’t the ideal situation for Angeli to enter the game, but he made it look easy. He still explains it that way, too.
“I don’t even know what’s hard about it. It’s just my job,” Angeli said. “That’s what I train and prepare for. I wouldn’t really deem it hard. It’s a task, and I have an objective, and I have a plan and preparation throughout the week. If it comes, it comes. If not, it is what it is.”
That one drive was Angeli’s most important action since starting and winning the Sun Bowl against Oregon State at the end of the 2023 season after starter Sam Hartman chose to sit out of the bowl game. Though he’s played in 21 games with a passing line of 58-of-80 (72.5%) for 772 yards and 10 touchdowns with one interception, what Angeli did against Penn State likely drew the attention of programs looking for a quarterback.
“It’s hard to tell,” Angeli said when asked if he understands how much he may be sought after. “You see how many eyes watched that game. It would be easy to deduce from that that there would be some eyes on me. Yeah, it’s an awesome opportunity, but that’s what you get playing for Notre Dame. People are going to watch because it’s Notre Dame football.”
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Minchey and Carr won’t be able to match Angeli’s experience from the past three seasons. Minchey’s played in four games, thrown and completed three passes and rushed twice for 12 yards and one touchdown. Carr played in just one game last season and handed the ball off three times before taking a knee to end the Purdue game.
Experience won’t necessarily be the deciding factor, but quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli sees it as one that weighs a lot.
“In any industry, I think if you’ve got a guy that’s been in there and done it and had success, that speaks to the people around you,” Guidugli said. “There’s a little bit more credibility that comes with it, and those who haven’t kind of still gotta go out and prove it.
“You can do great things in seven-on-seven or great things throwing one-on-ones, but until you do it in that stadium with 80,000 people screaming at you and people coming after the ball, trying to slam you into the ground, it matters.”
In addition to his experience, Guidugli pointed to Angeli’s passing accuracy and leadership qualities as strengths. Angeli’s own assessment of his strengths seemed to align.
“My mindset. My intangibles,” Angeli said. “I think I understand the game well. I feel like I’m a great leader in the locker room. Quite frankly I know how to make plays. I know my strengths and attributes that I can make every throw on the field. I can extend plays and get a first down if need be, and I can operate and lead the team.”
Guidugli sees Angeli approaching the spring with a certain confidence in his game.
“I think Steve’s just approaching it like it’s his job,” Guidugli said. “Like, ‘I’m the guy that everybody’s gotta beat out. I’m the guy with the experience. I’m the guy that’s next in line. This is my job.’
“I think that’s the approach they all gotta take. But I think specifically for Steve, he’s the veteran in the room and I feel like he’s approaching it like, ‘It’s my job.’”
The fact that Notre Dame didn’t bring in an experienced transfer quarterback to cut off Angeli’s path to the starting role for the first time in three seasons makes the job wide open for Angeli to earn it.
Will Angeli end up winning the job? Only time will tell.
But why is the time right for Angeli?
“I put in a lot of work,” he said. “I think I’ve been a great teammate throughout my years here. Not that I deserve it, but I’m working toward it. I still have to earn it. It’s a great time. It’s a great opportunity. I just have to seize the moment.”
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