The Notre Dame redemption has just begun under the wise stewardship of Marcus Freeman, who set the bar high for the program last year. But the rest of the path won’t be that easy. If you had carefully looked at Freeman’s expression following the championship miss, you would have noticed a paradox of emotion written there. It showed a mixture of a sky-high dream and a doom of the relentless pressure of expectation. The exhilaration of past successes and the menacing challenges ahead on the road created a unique contrast that will decide his rank as a head coach in the next few years. Apart from the decisive play callings and on-point game strategies, one underrated quality of the coaches is the management of players, where Freeman has already pulled a sixer.
Notre Dame, despite being at the cusp of the trophy, received a punch in the gut from the Buckeyes. But their strides throughout the 2024 season have been unforgettable to a program that last lifted the Natty four and a half decades back under coach Lou Holtz. That speaks volumes about the holistic strength of the program. But as the spring practice, the early test of another regular season, is underway, the Irish show major dispute in the QB room. Riley Leonard’s era has dropped off for good. Now, the question is, who is the next to take the reins? Marcus Freeman has three names under the radar, including Steve Angeli, CJ Carr, and Kenny Minchey.
But the Irish head coach takes a unique approach to spearhead the QB competition. He doesn’t want any mindless rush to grab the starting job. To him, it shouldn’t matter that much. Rather, all of them need to be focused on their personal growth and their individual best version to contribute to the team effort. But the most notable and striking aspect of his comment is his assurance to communicate.
Breaking that philosophy down, insider Trevor Trobridge, during the March 22nd episode of the Irish Breakdown podcast, said, ”He was very open around, hey, here’s our game plan for this, and we are going to communicate what that plan is with the quarterbacks beforehand. I think when you are in a quarterback competition that is this close and amongst three guys, communication is key, and it is very, very important that you explain, hey, here’s the decision we’re going with and the why behind it, and I really appreciate that.”
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
College football has undergone a significant change with the advent of the NIL culture. It’s getting tougher day by day to be seated with your talents in the long term, as they are getting money to jump ship anywhere, anytime. Marcus Freeman knows that reality and acknowledges it to some extent, but at the end of the day, he thinks his players should embrace the team-first mentality to foster an inspiring and wholesome locker room culture, one of the major USPs of the Irish to stand out as a program.
It’s uncertain whether or not all the newbies will share the same vision as Marcus Freeman or will be ready to keep the collective goal first ahead of their own. But as long as it comes to Steve Angeli, one of the most apt contenders for the QB1 role, the coach-QB mindset perfectly aligns.
Steve Angeli lives up to Marcus Freeman’s QB standards
The senior-to-be quarterback has already spent three springs playing football at the Irish but is yet to win a starter’s job. The reason might be some competitive barriers. But it’s safe to say he’s well aware of his place (the bridge in communication that Freeman has talked about), as he didn’t choose to hit the portal after graduating in May last summer.
Following the Irish’ second spring game on March 22, Steve Angeli came clean on his current mindset about the looming QB1 race in a press conference. “Yeah, I think, for the most part, just being a complete quarterback. Being able to handle everything that comes with it—leadership, extending plays, making all throws on the field, just overall growth is what I’m looking for.” Again, it’s not just having the leader of the offense badge of honor to flex. It’s more about the growth, just as his coach envisions.
He has made a splash of excellence while standing under the shadow of Riley Leonard. Remember that fierce Orange Bowl performance! Angeli stepped up like a main guy and delivered a banger, finishing 6-of-7 passes for 44 yards on an eye-catching drive that led to a field goal before the second half. Did it give him any push to do better in the future? Well, he has been pretty stoic in his power. “I already had confidence before that moment. It’s great to go out on a stage and perform like that, but I was already confident before that and, yeah, it fuels a little bit, but, I’m just looking forward to competing,”
The 6 ft 3 QB is the most experienced in the three-man competition, holding a great chance to win the job. But even if it won’t, it doesn’t matter. Marcus Freeman makes sure to communicate the reason, and the QB phenom continues to work toward his growth as an athlete.
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