NFL
By: Rick O’Donnell
As of Wednesday, the Syracuse Orange have another quarterback on the roster. Former Notre Dame QB Steven Angeli hit the transfer portal and ended up in the 315. While everyone outside the practice facility speculates about the QB controversy, let’s break down what Angeli brings to the Orange as they look for their new starting quarterback:
Highlight reels can be a great way to get a sense of what kind of big plays a player makes on the field. If you look at Angeli’s limited highlights, you’ll be excited for the young signal caller. He plays at a fast pace, can throw on the move, and consistently throws accurate passes. He can throw into tight windows with precision, often hitting receivers right in the numbers. If he gets the time, he’s going to make the right throw and make the big play, and he’s no stranger to using his legs to turn positive yards.
With that being said, a highlight reel doesn’t tell the whole story. Fran Brown has to define early on where this young man needs to improve to get to his next level. In his time with Syracuse, so far, Coach Brown has shown he can help his guys reach beyond their potential, and Angeli should be no different.
Coming in, he’ll have to compete with Ricky Collins, who has already been named the starting QB. We can argue all day about which of the two young men is the better quarterback, but until they show up on the football field, it’ll all be speculation.
Let’s go back to the tape and how he improves. One of the biggest things I see while watching Steve Angeli’s play is often ball placement. He’s accurate and he’s hitting his guys in spots they can catch the football, but it’s not perfect. There are a few completions that could be put in better spots. Tighter coverage on some of the throws and defenders can make plays on the ball. You’re not always going to get a clean look and the difference in ball placement could be the difference, especially on big plays.
There are a few passes that come to the receiver’s inside shoulder instead of the outside. With a wide-open receiver, it’s not a bad thing. Yet, when a defender is only a step or two behind or a safety comes over for help, the slight turn back to the football as opposed to in stride can be the difference between a deflected pass or even an interception.
His accuracy is on point, but there is also room for improvement. Ball placement is key even when it’s not on deep throws. If anything, it’s just a tweak to his timing that will allow receivers to get more YAC. In tight coverage, you can hit your target between the numbers to avoid mistakes. If the receiver has a step or two between defenders, getting the ball to a spot where a receiver can turn in stride makes a bit of difference. Football is often described as a game of inches, and an inch or two in ball placement could be the difference between 3-5 yards and 7-10.
That’s not to say that Steve Angeli needs to redesign the wheel when it comes to his style. He’s got the ability to get the job done with a strong and accurate arm. Where it makes a difference is in teams that can run stride for stride with Orange receivers. A little bit more touch on the football, with a little bit of finesse, a just a slight uptick in timing and his skillset should shine for Syracuse.
