Fran Brown discusses choice to start Angeli over Collins as Syracuse’s QB
Fran Brown discussed his decision to name Steve Angeli as Syracuse’s starting quarterback at his final training camp press conference Monday. Leonardo Eriman | Photo Editor
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On Monday morning, Syracuse head coach Fran Brown called a meeting with offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon, quarterbacks coach Nunzio Campanile and signal-callers Steve Angeli and Rickie Collins — it was time for Brown to reveal who’d be the Orange’s starting quarterback in 2025.
Brown is no nonsense. He doesn’t play games or lead others on. This meeting was direct, and he said he left the room open for others to voice their thoughts. The previous day, Brown said he stayed up virtually all night, because he wanted to ensure his decision wouldn’t affect the respectful environment in the quarterbacks’ room.
The second-year head coach said his choice became difficult due to the two quarterbacks being neck and neck throughout Syracuse’s training camp. But he feels, at this very moment, Angeli controls the offense a bit better than Collins does. Brown named Angeli as SU’s Week 1 starter against No. 24 Tennessee in Atlanta on Aug. 30.
After transferring from Notre Dame to Syracuse on April 23, 15 weeks after Collins left LSU for the Orange, Angeli worked his way past the man who was presumed to start under center this season.
“It just came down to a little bit of (the) operation, and who ran the operation the best,” Brown said. “It was extremely hard to figure this out.”
Syracuse football’s summer-long quarterback competition came to an end Monday, with Angeli emerging as the winner. He’s now tasked to fill the enormous shoes of former SU quarterback Kyle McCord, who set the Atlantic Coast Conference’s single-season passing record in 2024. Brown expressed utmost confidence in both signal-callers and feels the competition pushed the best out of them. He emphasized Collins is always one play away from getting into the game, but for now, Angeli is his guy.
In Brown’s discussion with Angeli, he made sure the junior transfer understood the magnitude of his decision.
“It was more so about him being the best version of himself, being a leader that our football team needs,” Brown said of his conversation with Angeli. “Making sure that he understands what being a quarterback to start means in terms of being able to represent us. You have McPherson, McNabb, McCord, all those guys that played quarterback here. So being a quarterback here means a lot.”
Collins took the news well. Brown said the former Southeastern Conference product responded by expressing his intent to “keep working” and that he wants to help Angeli reach his full potential.
Brown told Collins about the role former backup quarterback Michael Johnson Jr. played last season for the Orange, and wants Collins to adopt a similar daily routine by studying film alongside Angeli — which Johnson Jr. did for McCord.
“It’s tough for him to hear that and listen to that. But, he’s a grown man,” Brown said of Collins. “There was nothing he could have done differently. He did everything that he could possibly do.”
What made things difficult for Collins is his lack of in-game experience. He transferred to Syracuse having just seven pass attempts to his name while with the Tigers. Though he completed all seven, it was hard to take much away from that sample size.
Angeli, meanwhile, tossed for 772 yards and 10 touchdowns in several sporadic appearances across two years for the Fighting Irish. He’s been in situations that Collins hasn’t, particularly on the game’s grandest stage.
Amid Notre Dame’s national-title game run, Angeli entered ND’s Semifinal bout versus Penn State after starting quarterback Riley Leonard suffered a minor injury. Angeli led the Fighting Irish to a field-goal drive before halftime, completing 6-of-7 passes for 44 yards. Notre Dame went on to win 27-24 over the Nittany Lions, the difference being Angeli’s ability to keep the offense steady through a quarterback change.
Brown lauded Angeli’s poise on the drive.
“They went down and got points on that (drive), right? Without that drive I’m not sure those guys make it all the way like that. That was a big drive for (Notre Dame),” Brown said.
“I’m hoping I can give him the same poise that he had (at ND) when he goes in (here).”
Syracuse wide receivers coach Myles White said Angeli possesses a “calming presence” in the huddle. He says Angeli handles himself like a veteran, and thinks his demeanor will pay dividends for a relatively youthful SU roster.
White compared Angeli’s game to two-time Super Bowl Champion Eli Manning, who White played with in 2015 on the New York Giants. He believes the two are calm, collected guys who don’t let the moment get too big for them. He also thinks they’re both technicians in the pocket and are unafraid to call out offensive errors when they see them.
“I think Steve has that same thing (as Manning), he’ll get on guys and push them to be the best that they can be, but he also has a unique ability to keep everybody at an even-keeled pace, too,” White said.
There’s no pressure from SU’s coaching staff for Angeli to be Manning-esque, or like any other quarterback for that matter. Brown wants Angeli to be himself. Time will tell what Nixon’s offensive scheme looks like in contrast to 2024’s McCord-led group, but Angeli has already passed the first test to being a successful starter: widespread buy-in from his peers.
“He makes it his business to make personal relationships with everyone, and I think that’s what really good quarterbacks do,” Brown said of Angeli. “He didn’t try to change or be anybody different; he’s more so himself, so that meant a lot to us.”
