Analyst sees Notre Dame QB Steve Angeli succeeding Riley Leonard for starter job

Steve Angeli saw limited meaningful action last season with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The way he responded in the Orange Bowl against the Penn State Nittany Lions may have given him the inside track to the starting quarterback position in 2025.

On3 college football insider JD Pickell believes that Angeli’s performance on the biggest stage will weigh in despite having tough competition in the quarterback room.

“I think it’s Steve Angeli. It’s hard to dismiss what happened in the Orange Bowl. The fact that he has stayed since Riley Leonard came in and was the guy last year. And the fact that in the Orange Bowl, when Riley Leonard goes down, Steve Angeli steps in there and essentially saves Notre Dame’s playoff life,” JD Pickell said (7:50).

As a reminder, with the Fighting Irish trailing 10-0 late in the second quarter, Riley Leonard was taken off the field to be checked for a concussion. Steve Angeli came in and completed six of seven passing attempts for 44 yards, moving Notre Dame into field goal range.

Those three points ended up changing the complexion of the game, as Notre Dame tied the score in the first drive of the second half in what turned out to be a 27-24 victory.

In addition to Angeli, the Fighting Irish have CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey in the quarterback room. Both Carr—the grandson of former Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr—and Minchey are former four-star recruits who will battle for playing time.

Offensive coach leaving Steve Angeli and Notre Dame, per reports

The Fighting Irish are looking for a new general manager. Now, they must open a search for a new running backs coach as well, as On3 reported that Deland McCullough is leaving Notre Dame to take the same job at the Las Vegas Raiders.

In three years as the running backs coach, McCullough oversaw the rise of running backs Audric Estime and Jeremiyah Love as they became staples for the Irish offense. The Irish finished 17th in rushing offense in 2024 with Love as their most dangerous runner.

Before arriving at Notre Dame, he had been running backs coach at Indiana and USC. He was also a former running backs coach with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2018 to 2020, with whom he won the Super Bowl 54.

Now he will be joining another former collegiate coach in the offensive staff, as former Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly will take over as the new OC in Las Vegas.