Syracuse QB Steve Angeli Progressing in Rehab, Will Be Limited in Spring Practice
Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli won’t be taking live reps during spring practices, head coach Fran Brown confirmed this week. Coming off a ruptured Achilles suffered back in September, Angeli is still deep in the rehab process, and while he’ll be involved this spring, the Orange are playing it smart when it comes to contact.
“He’s dominating rehab,” Brown said during an appearance on the ACC Network’s Inside ACCess. “Every day, you see him just getting better and better. He’s not walking with that much of a limp anymore.”
That’s encouraging news for a program that’s banking on Angeli being a key figure in 2026. The plan is for him to participate in some spring activities - think mental reps, footwork drills, and light throwing - but when it comes to full-speed, live-action work, Syracuse is hitting pause until summer.
Brown even had a little fun with it, telling ESPN Radio Syracuse that any defender who so much as breathes on Angeli this spring might end up “in the transfer portal.” Message received: protect the quarterback at all costs.
Angeli underwent surgery on September 22, just two days after the injury. Achilles recoveries are notoriously tricky, typically ranging from six to twelve months.
That timeline leaves some wiggle room. If all goes well, Angeli could be back in full by late March.
If not, his return might stretch into the early part of the ACC schedule this fall.
Either way, Syracuse is in a much better place at quarterback than it was a year ago.
The room now features Angeli alongside Amari Odom, Malachi Nelson, and Danny Lauter - a group that collectively brings more experience and upside than last season’s depth chart. Angeli’s backups in 2025 combined for eight starts, though turnovers outpaced touchdowns and none of them matched Angeli’s four-game passing total. Still, those reps matter, and they’ve helped build a more seasoned quarterback room heading into 2026.
The competition this fall will be real. Odom is coming off a first-team all-conference season.
Nelson, once the nation’s top recruit in the Class of 2023, brings serious pedigree. Lauter has starting experience under his belt.
And Angeli, when healthy, will be right in the mix to win the job back.
Interestingly, Brown credits Angeli for helping shape that room. According to the head coach, Angeli didn’t just sit back during his recovery - he played recruiter, making phone calls and hosting Syracuse’s incoming quarterback transfers.
That kind of leadership doesn’t go unnoticed.
“I’m really thankful for coach Sean Ryan and Charlie Brewer,” Brown added. “Those guys are doing a real good job with these guys already.
Just spending time with them, talking to them and making sure that every guy is developed. I think that that was something that hurt us last year.
Guys weren’t ready.”
Ryan, a two-time Super Bowl champion, took over quarterback coaching duties this offseason, replacing Nunzio Campanile. Campanile was reassigned to tight ends coach last year before ultimately leaving for the offensive coordinator role at UConn.
Now, with a new coaching staff in place and a deeper, more prepared quarterback room, Brown is feeling good about where things stand - especially with Angeli progressing.
“I think we’re back where we were when we got here in ‘24,” Brown said. “We’re in that same mindset, that same feeling around the building that we’ve got a guy.
Kyle was like Baby Jesus around here. There was nothing he could do wrong.
So, I think we’re back in that mindset.”
That “guy” Brown’s referring to is Kyle McCord, the ACC’s single-season passing yards record holder. The comparison to Angeli might be lofty, but it speaks to the confidence Brown has in his quarterback - and the vibe inside the program heading into a pivotal offseason.
Syracuse hasn’t released its spring practice schedule yet, but when they do, don’t expect to see Angeli in any high-contact situations. He’ll be there, just not in the middle of the action - at least not yet. The real test comes this summer, when the pads go on and the competition heats up.