Tag: Steve Angeli

Notre Dame to search transfer portal for quarterback again in 2024

What kind of quarterback will Notre Dame be looking for?

Notre Dame is set to have three scholarship quarterbacks on their roster to start the 2024 season.

Steve Angeli would be the perceived starter while Kenny Minchey would likely be QB-2 and incoming freshman CJ Carr would be the third.  Having just three scholarship quarterbacks on the roster isn’t something Marcus Freeman is too high on, however.

“As I told Steve (Angeli) and Kenny (Minchey), who’s done a really good job in practice, is that we owe it to this program to try to put four quarterbacks on scholarship. That’s the number we have allotted for. We have three right now, but we’ve had since I became a head coach and before, the number being four. If somebody transfers and then all sudden, you’re down to three, but we want to try to always have four guys on scholarship but that has nothing to do in my beliefs and [autotag]Steve Angeli[/autotag] and [autotag]Kenny Minchey[/autotag]. Both of those guys are extremely talented, and I can see being the leader of our program as we move forward.”

Marcus Freeman on Nov. 13, 2023

It’s not at all surprising that Freeman and Notre Dame plan to go to the portal for another scholarship quarterback next season.  It’s not the that though, it’s more the type that I’m interested in knowing about.

Certainly it depends on who ends up becoming available but from the onset the biggest question is this – are they looking to simply add depth or are they hoping to add someone who will genuinely compete for, if not enter 2024 as the favorite for the starting job?

It seems like Notre Dame is caught between a rock and a hard place a bit at quarterback.  They want to develop their own product to have for more than just a year or two but they also don’t want to start a quarterback without starting experience.

We’ll have plenty more of this here at Fighting Irish Wire up until the next newest Fighting Irish quarterback is here so stay tuned.

Notre Dame football offers 2026 Florida quarterback

The Irish are already focused on 2026 quarterback recruiting

If there has one significant recruiting difference for [autotag]Notre Dame football[/autotag] in the [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] era, it’s at quarterback.

The Irish are starting to build a room that looks like one of the best in the country, and it all starts with recruiting. During Freeman’s first “cycle” they signed [autotag]Steve Angeli[/autotag], who is currently that backup to [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag]. Last year it was [autotag]Kenny Minchey[/autotag], a player who has already seen time on the field very early into his career.

The 2024 class has [autotag]CJ Carr[/autotag] committed while the 2025 class has [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag]. The focus is now on 2025 and the Irish offered Florida’s [autotag]Will Griffin[/autotag] on Wednesday.

The 6-foot, 3-inch and 215-pound quarterback is ranked as the No. 5 player at his position and 62nd nationally by the 247Sports Composite Rankings. The competition for Griffin’s signature will be fierce, but Notre Dame has now entered the picture.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Mike on X: @MikeFChen

Marcus Freeman isn’t sure who will quarterback Notre Dame football next year

An interesting answer from Freeman on the who the Irish will turn to at quarterback next year

Two of the last three seasons, [autotag]Notre Dame football[/autotag] has used the transfer portal to find its starting quarterback.

Wisconsin transfer [autotag]Jack Coan[/autotag] and Wake Forest transfer and current Irish quarterback [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag] clearly were great options, but each of them only had one season in South Bend. Naturally, questions about who will take over next year will happen.

Irish head coach [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] was asked that question and his answer was fairly simple, he’s not sure. Multiple in-house options like [autotag]Steve Angeli[/autotag] and [autotag]Kenny Minchey[/autotag], with [autotag]CJ Carr[/autotag] on the way, give Notre Dame credence not to look for a new starter in the portal. That doesn’t mean that Freeman won’t consider it.

It’s an answer that many would question, but considering the lack of experience currently behind Hartman, going into the portal to find another potential starter isn’t the worst idea. At this current moment, we have no idea which quarterbacks will look to move on, but Freeman keeping his options open is a very smart idea.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Mike on X: @MikeFChen

Social media reacts to Notre Dame RB Gi’Bran Payne’s first career TD

This game has been Payne for the Tigers.

Notre Dame’s game against Tennessee State has become a showcase for players getting firsts in their collegiate careers. First, we saw [autotag]Jeremiyah Love[/autotag] score his first touchdown. Next, [autotag]Steve Angeli[/autotag] got his first touchdown pass. Then, Angeli threw his second touchdown pass to a running back, who scored his first touchdown on the play. That running back was [autotag]Gi’Bran Payne[/autotag]:

Like many other second-half contributors for the Irish, Payne’s opportunity was made possible because the Irish went into the half with such a big lead. When Payne scored, the Tigers still had been kept off the scoreboard in the second half. They had been held to a mere field goal just like Navy had against the Irish the week before.

As hard as it is to believe in a blowout, there still were people watching the game when Payne scored. Here are some of the tweets sent out by some of the remaining viewers:

Social media reacts to Notre Dame QB Steve Angeli’s first TD pass

Congrats, Steve!

Buried on Notre Dame’s depth chart in 2022, [autotag]Steve Angeli[/autotag] surely wondered whether he would get to shine beyond the Blue-Gold Game. Now, with [autotag]Drew Pyne[/autotag] and Tyler Buchner gone, he is firmly in the role of [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag]’s primary backup. With the Irish possessing a 35-3 halftime lead, Hartman had done enough. That meant Angeli would run the offense in the second half.

While it took most of the third quarter for it to happen, Angeli finally got the first touchdown pass of his collegiate career. After [autotag]Jadarian Price[/autotag] lost 4 yards on a run, Angeli threw to Price on the next play after avoiding defensive pressure, and Price took the ball 40 yards to the house:

Angeli will remember this moment for the rest of his life. Perhaps he also will remember [autotag]Clarence Lewis[/autotag]’ 33-yard interception return for a touchdown that happened immediately after. Either way, it was a memorable sequence of events.

We’ve seen impact plays from Lewis before, so let’s focus on how social media reacted to Angeli’s big moment:

Questions we want Notre Dame to answer against Tennessee State

What questions do you want Notre Dame to answer on Saturday?

It’s game two for [autotag]Notre Dame football[/autotag] and the potential for another blowout, like Navy had to endure last week.

The Irish looked like one of the best teams in the country, but like very year in college football, if you don’t bring your A game, it could end up with a loss. It’s highly unlikely that happens this week, but that is how many of us felt at times last year.

Regardless, every new week brings a new set of questions that we want to see Notre Dame answer. Find out below which questions are the ones that stick out in my mind and why they are important.

Notre Dame card: Steve Angeli

Steve!

Notre Dame wasn’t able to hold onto every 2022 recruiting class commitment after the sudden departure of Brian Kelly from the program a few short weeks ago, but the Irish held onto the majority as the early signing period began on Wednesday.

Notre Dame’s advanced media team knocked it out of the park with its videos of each player this year. Cameos are made from former Notre Dame star football players, professional wrestlers, reality TV personalities and plenty more before Marcus Freeman ultimately delivers the good news for Irish fans.

Here are some fast facts about quarterback Steve Angeli, who was the fourth Notre Dame player to send his national letter of intent in on Wednesday:

Name: Steve Angeli
Position: Quarterback
High School: Oradell, New Jersey (Bergen Catholic)
Size: 6-3, 215 pounds
Stars: Four stars on 247Sports, three stars on Rivals
Original Commitment Date: March 5, 2021

Related:  Notre Dame football 2022 recruiting class tracker

Breaking: Notre Dame quarterback enters the transfer portal with a caveat

He might be leaving, he might not

When [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag] persuaded quarterback [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag] to commit to the program, many wondered what [autotag]Tyler Buchner[/autotag]’s next move would be.

There were thoughts it would lead to his leaving, but Buchner stuck around for spring practice and looked to be second on the depth chart behind Hartman.

A rough Blue and Gold game for the rising junior once again had many pondering his intentions. Now we know, Buchner has entered the transfer portal.

Injuries have plagued Buchner since he was a junior in high school, hurting his development as a passer. His improvement in that area was the biggest source of excitement for many last Saturday, but his play was the same old story for the quarterback.

The good news is Buchner has left the door open for a return to the Notre Dame program. He will explore his options. If there isn’t a fit, we could once again see him in Blue and Gold.

If Buchner does opt to go, it leaves the Irish very thin at quarterback behind Hartman. Remember, [autotag]Drew Pyne[/autotag] transferred to Arizona State last December.

[autotag]Steve Angeli[/autotag] would be the presumed backup and early enrolling freshman [autotag]Kenny Minchey[/autotag] would be third on the chart. Not the ideal situation for head coach [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag].

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

[mm-video type=video id=01gwj5dvgb9ppfdety7t playlist_id=none player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gwj5dvgb9ppfdety7t/01gwj5dvgb9ppfdety7t-49266b19064b59c642db60f31e274c9e.jpg]

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Mike on Twitter: @MikeFChen

Initial thoughts on Notre Dame facing South Carolina in the Gator Bowl

What are your thoughts on the Irish going to the Gator Bowl?

The Irish know where they are bowling, in Florida at the Gator Bowl. The matchup pits Notre Dame against the other USC, South Carolina, with both teams sporting an 8-4 record and ranked inside the top 25.

There are plenty of thoughts that have passed through my head since the game was announced, some pretty big questions about the future of both programs. We will know much more in the coming days but that still didn’t answer some of the pressing questions that surround this game that will be played a day before New Year’s Eve. Find out below some of the first thoughts I had about this matchup.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Mike on Twitter: @MikeFChen

Scouts view: Notre Dame’s 2023 quarterback, Kenny Minchey

What are your expectations for Minchey?

As you many know by now, Notre Dame filled their biggest hole in the 2023 recruiting class today with the commitment of quarterback [autotag]Kenny Minchey[/autotag] of Tennessee. The signal caller was recently committed to Pitt, but decommitted a little over a week ago before visiting South Bend this past weekend.

The commitment was all but a foregone conclusion, as many expected Minchey to join one of the nations best groups of prospects. The quarterback also held offers from Michigan State, Tennessee, West Virginia and others. After looking over his tape, there are some very good qualities that Minchey possess but also some things he will need to work on when he arrives on campus.

Minchey possesses solid size, standing almost six-foot-two-inches and weighing 215 pounds. He uses his good athleticism well, but I wouldn’t say that he’s a dual-threat quarterback. As a passer he shows some very good footwork when moving around the pocket. Occasionally Minchey does get a bit flat-footed on some throws, but his above-average arm strength bails him out for the time being.

On the move, Minchey squares his shoulders well to make the throws but the majority of his scrambling is to his right. He is going to need to work on flipping his hips when rolling to the left to make the necessary throws. Minchey is very accurate on throws inside 20 yards and shows very good touch when he attempts deep shots.

Offensive coordinator and quarterback coach [autotag]Tommy Rees[/autotag] will need to work on firming up Minchey’s motion, as he throws from a variety of arm angles. It’s terrible, but not every quarterback is Patrick Mahomes and can get away with erratic throwing motions.

Overall, I’d expect Minchey to create solid depth and redshirt during his first year on campus. He will be behind three quarterbacks ([autotag]Tyler Buchner[/autotag], [autotag]Drew Pyne[/autotag] and [autotag]Steve Angeli[/autotag]) who already have collegiate experience so expecting him to contribute right away most likely isn’t in the cards. Minchey should be involved in the race to start in 2025, as Angeli and 2024 commit [autotag]CJ Carr[/autotag] should all be vying for the job.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz1mmy7gev0xbr player_id=none image=https://fightingirishwire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[listicle id=64987]

[lawrence-related id=64983]

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Mike on Twitter: @MikeFChen