Coming in from Notre Dame, Steve Angeli had nothing but high aspirations for his career. But an injury against Clemson took him off the field. After taking Syracuse to 3 wins this season, Angeli was no longer there to lead the Orange. This was big. The Orange had just lost a guy who helped them lead a comeback win against UConn when they were down by 11 points. But just when everyone thought Syracuse was out of key pieces, the QB depth at the Orange showed up. Though Rickie Collins was selected to play the rest of the game, Jakhari Williams was right there, ready to step up and deliver.

What Happened to Steve Angeli?

The win sure made Fran Brown’s night, but they lost their QB in the process. That’s right, now the Orange have to navigate the future without their QB1, who’s been turning heads since the start of the season. Angeli suffered a lower left leg injury while he was moving out of the pocket to make a throw. He went down without getting hit. That’s right, it was a non-contact play in the third quarter. After that, Angeli went out of the game and was seen wearing a boot on his left foot.

Imagine getting into the game with high hopes and ending up leaving it on crutches. Yet despite this setback, Steve Angeli completed his game with 18 of 31 passes for 244 yards with two touchdowns. Now, his exact condition is still not known, and even Brown didn’t confirm the nature of his injury, but said, “It seems like he won’t be here for a couple of weeks right now. I love Steve. I’m so thankful for all that he’s done.”

Who is Jakhari Williams?

After Steve Angeli left the game, it was the redshirt sophomore from LSU, Rickie Collins, who took the reins. But this position is not final for future games. There is an opportunity for Jakhari Williams to get some playtime this season. He didn’t take a single snap last year.

Williams is a freshman dual-threat QB who’s also a top 50 quarterback prospect by On3. He even won a state championship and was a team captain as a senior under Brett Collier at Presbyterian Day School. On top of that, he also took part in Elite 11 Regionals participants and won the title of GIAA District Six Player of the Year. So, now you know why he’s a perfect fit to back up Angeli. Now, let’s dig deeper into his family background.

Who Are Jakhari Williams Parents & Siblings?

The 6’2″, 190-pound Williams hails from Macon, Georgia, and grew up in a house with his four siblings: Dee, Jarvis, Money, and Dude. Quite a list, but Jakhari Williams’s parents, Elkanah Williams and Cherrell Lundy, always made sure each one of them followed their passion and did the best in their life. And the result? Williams got into Syracuse as a three-star recruit.

But now comes the bigger question: will his grind finally get him to his ultimate goal?

Is Jakhari Williams Likely to Step In as the Starter?

With Angeli’s move, Rickie Collins came in to finish the drive by throwing a TD pass to Justus Ross-Simmons, which instantly made Syracuse lead by three scores. After that, the entire game came under control of the Orange, and Collins didn’t need to do much. He was just running down the clock, wasting the time of the opposition. At the end he threw 3 of 8 passes for 34 yards.

So, that instantly adds up to his resume, and that makes Williams’s chance thin, just like it happened during the spring. As he was fighting hard for the starting job role, but after Angeli came in, Williams got pushed to no. 3 this season. And even though he showed improvement in spring, consistency is something he needs to work on. Now with Collins in the mix Williams stepping in as a starter can be a tricky ballgame. So, what’s next for him?

What’s Next for Jakhari Williams, and for Syracuse

As a freshman, the year is more for development for Williams. He might get some playing time to further hone his skills on the gridiron. But to become a starter, there needs to be significant production and a clear advantage over what Collins produces.

After Fran Brown’s update on the QB position and Angeli’s situation, there’s a high chance that Collins might be the QB1. “Steve will always be the leader of our football team,” Brown said. “We just have to support him, rally behind him to make sure he’s straight, right … Steve probably possibly won’t play next week, or things of that nature, but he’s fine. He’s tough, right? That’s our guy, but Ricky got in the game, and he’s able to play, so that was the point of getting two quarterbacks, right?”

Now, losing a guy like Steve Angeli, it’s going to be a tough time for Fran Brown’s team, who took them through 3 wins this season. But it appears that the remaining members of the QB room at Syracuse are ready to step up and deliver.