Fran Brown put collectively one of many season’s largest surprises in 2024, main Syracuse to 10 wins in his first 12 months as a school head coach. Brown’s recruiting prowess — honed throughout two years on Kirby Good’s Georgia’s workers — was on show instantly, as he landed commitments from Ohio State’s Kyle McCord and Texas A&M’s Fadil Diggs by the switch portal.
Now Brown and the Syracuse workers have struck once more, shortly including former Notre Dame’s Steve Angeli to bolster depth within the quarterback room. As with McCord, the Orange workers did not want many introductory conversations with the Combating Irish quarterback.
Angeli performed highschool soccer at Bergen Catholic in New Jersey, the place Syracuse quarterbacks coach Nunzio Campanile served as head coach from 2010 to 2017. Brown is deeply acquainted with the realm — not solely as a Camden, New Jersey, native but in addition from his time as an assistant at Rutgers and Temple. Whereas this addition wasn’t fairly as apparent as McCord — who knew Brown and Campanile since center faculty and performed youth soccer with offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon’s son — it is no shock Angeli dedicated following his official go to.
That is the place Syracuse might achieve an edge within the switch portal: prospects from the Philadelphia and New Jersey space who’re already acquainted with the workers. Syracuse may not be a geographic match, however there is a cultural connection. Familiarity with coaches who’ve deep roots within the area has performed a job in a number of high-profile switch additions during the last two offseasons. Recruits who as soon as bypassed Syracuse — as Angeli did with Notre Dame — might now see the Orange as a second-chance possibility, a technique to reboot their careers with a contact of dwelling, even when it is a number of hours away.
Leaning right into a regional recruiting footprint is not new — Brown made it a central a part of his work at Rutgers and Temple. However Syracuse’s current portal success exhibits how this system can degree up expertise by leveraging these Northeast ties. And it is not simply on offense. Defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson can also be from Camden.
The place Angeli matches in Syracuse’s quarterback competitors stays unclear. LSU switch Rickie Collins, who joined this system in December, was named the Orange’s beginning quarterback throughout spring follow. Angeli, who left Notre Dame after falling behind CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey, will possible look to problem Collins for the job in fall camp.
One factor is for certain: whoever wins the job will not be anticipated to match McCord’s 2024 manufacturing. As McCord awaits his NFL Draft destiny this weekend, he does so after ending as one of many nation’s most prolific passers in 2024. Neither Angeli nor Collins can be anticipated to guide the nation in passing yards per sport — particularly after the departure of three 900-plus-yard receivers — however Syracuse is probably going hoping its Northeast offensive braintrust can replicate a few of that success. Angeli was sharp in a bowl win to shut the 2023 season and noticed significant motion throughout Notre Dame’s run to the School Soccer Playoff, contributing each in blowouts and key moments. He seems to be a robust slot in each scheme and tradition, although he’ll be enjoying catch-up after Collins emerged from spring as QB1.
Syracuse faces a more durable schedule in 2025 — ACC champion Clemson and runner-up SMU rotate onto a slate that features nonconference matchups towards Tennessee and Notre Dame. Matching final season’s 10-win debut can be a tall order amid roster turnover and a more durable highway, however the addition of Angeli offers the Orange a greater shot at shocking once more.
