We will soon know who will start at quarterback for Syracuse football to commence the 2025 season.
Syracuse football head coach Fran Brown says that he plans to make a decision on the Orange's exciting quarterback battle after the team's second scrimmage, which I believe is scheduled for this coming weekend.
"After the second scrimmage, though, for me, I'm going to pick who's going to be the guy. Who's going to lead the team and we're going to run with that guy. The other guy will be number two and we'll just keep going," Brown said, according to 247Sports.
Eyeing the top signal-caller spot at the 'Cuse is Notre Dame transfer Steve Angeli, a redshirt junior, and LSU transfer Rickie Collins, a redshirt sophomore. Both were four-star prep prospects and high-three-star players coming out of the transfer portal this past off-season.
Brown, other Orange coaches and Syracuse football players have said during preseason camp that both Angeli and Collins are talented quarterbacks, and either would excel as the team's starter. "There's a lot of programs who would die to be in the position that we're in," the 'Cuse head coach says.
Syracuse football will soon have its starting quarterback to kick off the 2025 campaign.
Neither of the Orange's candidates to start at quarterback against No. 24 Tennessee on Saturday, Aug. 30, in Atlanta has a lot of prior college experience. The 6-foot-3, 212-pound Angeli, from Westfield, N.J., did get some reps for the Fighting Irish in 2024, including in a College Football Playoff semifinal win over Penn State.
The chatter is that Angeli has a solid arm, is a poised pocket passer and provides veteran leadership. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Collins, out of Baton Rouge, La., is deemed to have a stronger arm, and he's more athletic than Angeli, as far as I can tell.
Collins transferred to Syracuse football during the winter portal window and was named by Brown as the team's starting quarterback in April. But that was before Angeli decided to move from Notre Dame to the 'Cuse.
Brown says, "Steve's too good to not give him a fair opportunity. To be able to come in and compete. But it'll be Rickie's spot to lose because he was here. He got to work with us in the spring and we got to see what Rickie can do."
The Syracuse football head coach continued: "So for me, it's just may the best man win. (Will) Rickie continue to get better or will Steve Angeli come in and be like, just mentally like wow this guy is just on another level?"
I'll, of course, keep tabs on Brown's quarterback decision. I am curious whether he will make a public announcement on this or keep things quiet ahead of the team's game against the Volunteers toward the end of the month.