Syracuse’s football season is just around the corner. The biggest question still stands: who’s going to be the starting quarterback in Fran Brown’s second year at the helm?
It could be Rickie Collins, an LSU transfer QB who Coach Brown initially named the starter in the spring.
“It’s a surreal moment. A blessing, really, from God,” Collins said after he was named the starter at a spring practice. “Any backup quarterback or kid coming up that’s getting recruited, you think about the day you get named the starter. It’s never going to feel real.”
That was before former Notre Dame signal-caller Steve Angeli announced that he’d be transferring from the Irish to the ‘Cuse. Neither quarterback has much experience collegiately under center, but Angeli presents an intriguing situation of experience.
In last year’s Orange Bowl, the junior took over for Riley Leonard who ended up with an injury and played extremely well leading his troops to field goal range and setting up a kick into halftime. That playoff experience can be highly beneficial for someone who may take the reins from Kyle McCord after he carried the Orange last season.
Collins, on the other hand, hasn’t declared himself the starter at all, which is a good thing. He has shown positive attitudes time in and time out with the media, saying that he doesn’t think he’s the starter by any means and isn’t acting or playing like he already has the job.
“He’ll bring the best out of me,” Collins said. “You’ve got to be locked in every day.”
He as in Fran Brown. Collins has repeatedly credited Coach Brown for pushing him and believing in him, and he knows that he does it to bring the best out of his players and recruits. With practice well ongoing into the season, the starting quarterback decision is sure to be presented soon. Will it be Angeli or will it be Collins?
