There has been plenty to criticize about Syracuse football over the last few weeks.

Fran Brown’s decision to stick with Steve Angeli isn’t one of them.

Brown confirmed Monday that Angeli will remain Syracuse’s starting quarterback against UConn, saying, “He’s our quarterback.” Amari Odom is expected to play as well.

Good.

The calls for Odom are understandable. Angeli has been bad for two consecutive games. He threw three crushing interceptions in the 21-18 loss to Cal, including a pick-six that provided the winning points, and his struggles continued against Pitt.

Meanwhile, Odom completed all eight of his passes against the Panthers.

But context matters.

Odom moved the football late in a game Pitt controlled. The Panthers were protecting a multi-score lead, keeping everything in front of them and allowing Syracuse to take underneath completions while the clock disappeared.

That is a long way from proving Odom should take over the offense.

And have we already forgotten what Angeli looked like before this?

In four starts last season, Syracuse went 3-1. Angeli threw for 1,317 yards, 10 touchdowns and just two interceptions and was leading the nation in passing when his season ended with an Achilles injury against Clemson.

Then he returned this September and looked sharp in Syracuse’s 66-3 demolition of New Hampshire.

So what are we really talking about here?

Two bad games.

There may be reasons for concern. Angeli is coming off major surgery, and it’s fair to wonder whether everything is completely back after the physical punishment of the opening weeks. But unless Syracuse knows there is a health issue limiting him, two poor performances aren’t enough to abandon the quarterback Brown chose after training camp.

The game that changed the entire feeling around this season was Cal.

Win that game—one Syracuse absolutely should have won—and the Orange would be 2-1 heading into a game in which they are heavily favored at UConn.

Instead, that 21-18 loss sits there like a giant missed opportunity.

And yes, Angeli was a major reason Syracuse lost it.

But the solution to one damaging overreaction isn’t another one.

There is risk in Brown’s decision. If Angeli struggles badly Saturday, the hook should probably be much quicker. If Syracuse loses and falls to 1-3 with Virginia, Louisville and the heart of the schedule ahead, salvaging the season might be impossible. Syracuse’s remaining slate includes nine ACC games, plus Notre Dame.

But beat a UConn team Syracuse is a touchdown favorite against?

You’re 2-2. You’re back to .500. Angeli gets some confidence back, and perhaps this entire quarterback controversy begins to look like mere panic during a bad September stretch.

Fran Brown has plenty of things to clean up on this football team.

This is the right call.

Steve Angeli seemingly showed over four games last year that he can be a very good college quarterback. He had the confidence of the staff this summer. Two ugly performances shouldn’t erase all of that.

Brown is giving his quarterback another chance.

Now Angeli has to prove his coach right.