Syracuse Football QB Room: Successful surgery, Fran Brown's confidence, backup battle

The Syracuse football quarterback room is a big topic of conversation this week, and understandably so.

It all starts with redshirt junior Steve Angeli, who said in a poignant post via his X page that a surgery to repair his torn Achilles tendon on Monday was successful. Angeli suffered this awful injury last Saturday in Death Valley when the Orange defeated Clemson.

Angeli says he's grateful to the Syracuse community, the football program, the fan base, family and friends, among others, for supporting him during this tough time. Head coach Fran Brown, on Monday, said he's hopeful that Angeli might be ready for the team's spring practices next April.

Angeli, a transfer from Notre Dame, is expected to apply for a medical redshirt for the 2025 campaign and should have two seasons of college eligibility left. Brown says that he's "sad that Steve had to go down." Entering the Clemson encounter, Angeli was leading the country in total passing yards.

Syracuse football will now turn to redshirt sophomore quarterback Rickie Collins.

Collins, the transfer from LSU, will be the starting signal-caller for the Orange (3-1, 1-0 in the ACC) when the 'Cuse welcomes Duke to the JMA Wireless Dome this Saturday afternoon in week five. Here's how to watch that Atlantic Coast Conference affair.

After Angeli got hurt, Collins went 3-of-8 for 34 yards with one touchdown pass. Although his playing experience in college thus far has been limited, Collins is a former four-star prep recruit who has a strong arm and mobile legs.

This is also his third year at the collegiate level, and at LSU, he shadowed Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels and then Garrett Nussmeier, who will likely be a high pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Brown said of Collins, "Over the last four weeks, he's been able to be right behind Steve and handle that also, so I think that there's no better place for him to be, but to be here. Most importantly, he got my support. He's number two in command right now, I gotta believe in him 100 percent. I'm very thankful that he gets the opportunity to play. I'm happy that it's him. I'm sad that Steve had to go down. But I'm very thankful and supportive."

In recent weeks, Collins has shown a ton of maturity. He transferred to the Orange during the winter portal window and was named the team's starting quarterback in early April. But that was before Angeli moved from the Fighting Irish to Syracuse football amid the spring portal window.

During preseason camp, Angeli and Collins were basically neck and neck, but Brown went with the former Notre Dame quarterback. In the wake of that bummer news for him, Collins has said nothing but positive things about Angeli, Brown and the 'Cuse program. Classy young man, and now he gets his chance as QB1.

"We build bonds on this team, and that’s a brother to me now," Collins said when asked about Angeli's injury over the weekend. "Seeing that, it sucks. I was hurt for him."

Finally, with Collins thrust into the starting role, who will be his primary backup? The Orange's projected depth chart for the Blue Devils game lists either true freshman Luke Carney or redshirt freshman Jakhari Williams in that role.

Carney had one rush for nine yards and a touchdown score in the blowout win for Syracuse football over Colgate earlier this month. Williams has yet to see the field for the 'Cuse in the 2025 season.