Rees "Excited As Heck" About 2022 Notre Dame QB Signee Steve Angeli

The answer came as no surprise.

Asked by a reporter his thoughts on Notre Dame pursuing an additional quarterback in the Class of 2022, Steve Angeli‍- who had been committed to the Irish for several months at the time - said he was confident in his ability to compete and had full trust in the coaching staff.

It’s the kind of answer you’d expect from a sharp, mature-beyond-his-years leader. Saying otherwise wouldn’t make much sense, especially since it wouldn’t change anything.

To find out the New Jersey native gave essentially the same answer to Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees – somebody who could change things – speaks volumes about Angeli’s maturity, leadership qualities and faith.

"I let him know, ‘If this is something that is going to risk you, we're not entertaining it,’” Rees said on Wednesday about the conversations he had with Angeli about the topic.

“He's a selfless person that believes in his ability and believes in his ability to come here and compete. He was supportive. He said, ‘Coach, if this is what you feel is best for the program, then this is what you have to do.'" 

The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder Bergen Catholic star ended up as the only quarterback the Irish signed in the Class of 2022 and Rees is perfectly happy with that.

Angeli has the physical tools to play at Notre Dame, which Rees had to discover virtually with COVID preventing in-person evaluations.

“As you dive through the various outlets of film that are being exposed to you, you start to see a guy that can make all the throws and has enough athleticism to get outside the pocket,” said Rees.

But it was the stuff beyond the videotaped drills that made Angeli one of the very first quarterbacks Rees offered in the class.

"When you sit down and have a conversation with the kid, you say this is exactly what you want in somebody that's going to represent this program from the very top,” said Rees.

Angeli hadn’t even started a game for Bergen Catholic when Rees offered him in August of 2020. Bergen Catholic went on to win 17 of its next 18 games after Angeli took over.

"You get him committed, you evaluate him his senior year and you see all of that come to fruition,” said Rees. “You see him win a State Championship and you see all those intangible things you believed in come to reality.” 

Angeli will be an early enrollee.

"We're excited as heck to have Steve coming here,” Rees said.

“He'll be here in about a month, so he'll hit the ground running."