Steve Angeli shares how he found confidence in himself for bowl game
After watching from the sidelines all season long, Notre Dame quarterback Steve Angeli didn’t squander his opportunity during the Sun Bowl in December.
Angeli led the Fighting Irish to an impressive win to cap off their season, a resounding 40-8 victory over Oregon State. He got the start after Sam Hartman opted out, but he looked like far from a backup against the Beavers.
The Notre Dame quarterback completed 14 of 18 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns to lead the charge. He made four appearances during the regular season — totaling 272 yards and four touchdowns — but had yet to start a game at the college level, until the Sun Bowl.
Afterwards, Angeli spoke on how he found the confidence to lead Notre Dame after a rollercoaster of a season while at the podium.
“I think just the preparation,” Angeli said. “Having a whole month to prepare for Oregon State. They’re a great team, great defense. Highly ranked and all. PFF top five stats, all the stuff like that.
“But really just the trust in the guys around me. … I feel like the whole time we’re out here, no matter what happens — you miss a throw, you miss a protection, whatever. You just keep going.”
Alas, it remains to be seen whether Angeli can make it into a competition with Duke transfer quarterback Riley Leonard in South Bend in 2024, but he added he’s simply taking the moment in after the Sun Bowl.
“This is a moment I’ll remember the rest of my life,” Angeli added. “But it’s really not about me. It’s about these guys around me, the guys up front, my receivers, Coach Free, Coach Gino, Kurt Rawlings. All those guys that have been in my room that have nurtured me, especially Sam Hartman, who has done a great job teaching me the ways and allowing me to come out and have this opportunity. I’m just so proud of this team and there’s no better way to finish it off than a win.”
Throughout the up-and-down season, Angeli said the Fighting Irish stuck together to get that 10th win. It wasn’t easy, with some losses the players would like back. But they got to double digits, and Angeli knew the word to define this group.
“I would say brotherhood,” Angeli said. “This team was special. We went through a lot of adversity, a lot of ups and downs. But no matter what, the guys in that locker room had each other’s backs, and the coaching staff had our backs throughout everything. It really meant the world to me.”
When Notre Dame needed him, Steve Angeli was there, leading the Fighting Irish to a win. He can hang his helmet on that, regardless of what the future holds.
On3’s Nick Schultz contributed to this article.