QB Steve Angeli and WR Umari Hatcher missed most of 2025. Now they're Syracuse's leaders.

Syracuse football fifth-year quarterback Steve Angeli and sixth-year wide receiver Umari Hatcher both missed a lot of the 2025 season due to injuries. Angeli appeared in four games; Hatcher only played in one contest and even considered transferring before withdrawing his name from the portal this past January.

As the Orange prepares to host California (0-1 overall) next Saturday afternoon, following a dominant home win by the 'Cuse (1-0 overall) against New Hampshire in the 2026 season opener, head coach Fran Brown says that Angeli and Hatcher are expected to be veteran leaders of the program in the current campaign.

They showed as much this past Saturday in the Orange's 66-3 triumph against the Wildcats (0-2 overall), an FCS team. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Angeli, from Westfield, N.J., completed 20-of-29 passes for 263 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Hatcher, who hails from Woodbridge, Va., in the DMV, caught eight passes for 147 yards and two scores. SU's wide receivers room in 2026 is stacked with depth, although Hatcher is one of the more seasoned receivers on the Orange's roster, despite barely playing in 2025.

"He's a leader," Brown said of Hatcher in his post-game press conference after Syracuse's conquest of New Hampshire. "His confidence is building. He's a lot stronger ... so he's on a mission."

Angeli and Hatcher were among those Orange players who spoke after the victory against the Wildcats. Angeli noted that he and Hatcher have a strong bond, given what they each went through after missing most of 2025.

"That's my brother for life," Angeli said of Hatcher, while the wide receiver praised his quarterback for all the support as they both rehabbed their respective injuries. "Steve is gonna get the ball to whoever he wants to get the ball to," Hatcher added.

In the second quarter this past Saturday afternoon, Angeli went down and was slow to get up. SU fans at the Dome and those watching elsewhere (myself included) held their collective breath, given what Syracuse's signal-caller had to deal with in 2025.

Brown went out to see Angeli, asking the quarterback to race him back to the sideline. Angeli sprinted, and the crowd roared. Brown didn't sprint, by the way, which Angeli called out his head coach for in his post-game presser. "There's no injury," Angeli added. "I'm all good."

Fran Brown detailed Syracuse football's win against New Hampshire.

Despite the 'Cuse being a massive betting favorite against the Wildcats in the season opener, Brown acknowledged that he was nervous before the non-conference game, the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

"We haven't won in a year," Brown said afterward. "I'm happy to get a win."

Last September, Angeli was leading the country in total passing yards before getting injured in the team's victory at Clemson, which pushed SU to 3-1 overall. The Orange would go on to lose eight straight, finishing at 3-9.

Brown says that his 2026 roster is filled with players who love to compete, who care about each other and who are laser-focused on winning games. Brown has also praised his assistant coaching staff, which includes many new faces.

"Our team's a young football team," Brown said. "We won't get better if we don't get reps."

By and large, Syracuse's offense was clicking against New Hampshire. The defense had three takeaways, and senior linebacker Zyian Moultrie-Goddard produced a 26-yard scoop-and-score.

Brown gave shout-outs to senior linebacker Keyshawn Johnson, who had 2.5 sacks, fifth-year defensive lineman Tunmise Adeleye, who led the Orange with six total tackles, and senior defensive lineman Rashard Perry, who tallied an interception.

"The trenches are where games are won on both sides" of the field, Brown said, noting that Johnson and Adeleye, both transfers, came to Syracuse in January, have worked hard and have bought into the culture on the Hill. "I'm happy for them," Brown said. "They deserved it. They'll keep growing."

Perry is a longtime SU player who appeared in five games last year before suffering a season-ending injury. A native of Buffalo, N.Y., Perry is a quiet leader "who risks his body every day, takes on double teams and clogs up holes. That's my boy," Brown said.

Understandably, in the wake of this blowout win, some Orange fans bemoaned that the team collected 12 penalties for 125 combined yards versus the Wildcats.

Brown said that sometimes penalties will occur, perhaps on special teams, as SU players are being aggressive in trying to help a return man get more yards (or even score a touchdown). The Syracuse football head coach didn't appear too upset about those kinds of flags, but if an offensive lineman is being lazy and gets called for holding, for example, that's a different story, Brown added.

Senior tight end David Clement from Albany, N.Y., also recorded his first career touchdown in the season opener. "He's a good kid and player, a leader on this team," Brown said. "He blocks his butt off, got a chance to score, and that's legit. I'm excited for David."

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