#CuseCamp17 Position Preview: Quarterbacks

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Eric Dungey is excited for the 2017 season for many reasons, but one might surprise you.

This will be the first time in his high school or college career that he'll run the exact same offense two years in a row.

"We're doing the install right now," Dungey said. "You learn so much more. You pick up the little things that maybe you missed last year, so it's been great. I'm looking forward to learning the offense again and again."

"I think there's some peace to him right now," head coach Dino Babers said of his junior quarterback. "He's coming back into this thing. He can foresee some things before they're going to happen. I want him to be able to anticipate a call before he even comes into the game."

Signal callers traditionally excel in Babers' ultra-fast, spread offense. That trend continued in 2016, as the Orange finished 11th nationally and second in the ACC in passing at 321.3 yards per contest. Pundits have taken note, with ESPN ranking SU's 2017 collection of quarterbacks third in the ACC behind Louisville, which features Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson, and Florida State, which boasts reigning ACC Rookie of the Year Deondre Francois.

Dungey leads the group. He has started 16 game the last two years, but injuries have kept him from finishing a season. When he is healthy there are few who are more dynamic. Dungey is third on the ACC active career lists for passing yardage (3,977), touchdown passes (26) and yards of total offense (4,621). In 2016, he set SU sophomore records for passing yards (2,679) and yards of total offense (2,972) in just nine games. Dungey already owns or shares 10 school records and he has accounted for 37 career touchdowns.

Senior Zack Mahoney has proven himself as Dungey's capable understudy. An original walk-on, Mahoney has started seven games over the last two seasons, completing 136-of-252 passes for 1,478 yards with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions. In last year's 76-61 shootout at Pittsburgh, Mahoney accounted for a school-record seven TDs and tied the program single-game standard with five touchdown passes.

Redshirt freshmen Rex Culpepper, highly-touted freshman Tommy DeVito and transfer Clayton Welch will challenge Mahoney for the backup role. Culpepper spent last season learning the system also helping run the scout team. DeVito joined the squad in the summer. An Under Armour All-American and ESPN 300 prospect, he guided New Jersey powerhouse Don Bosco Prep to a state championship as a high school junior. Welch arrived for the start of camp after spending his freshman season at Butte College in California. Welch was named the NorCal League MVP after the leading the Road Runners to a 9-3 record. He threw for 1,325 yards with 13 touchdowns and also ran for 821 yards and 11 scores.

Season tickets, partial plans and group tickets for Orange football are on sale now online (Cuse.com/tickets), by phone (888-DOME-TIX) and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B). Season tickets start at $125.

Single-game tickets for all home games are also on sale. Tickets start at $25 for non-conference games against Central Connecticut State, Middle Tennessee and Central Michigan, $30 for ACC matchups with Wake Forest and Boston College, $35 for the Oct. 7 Pittsburgh game on Orange Central Weekend, and $45 for the Clemson game on Oct. 13.

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Syracuse University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Rex Culpepper

Tommy DeVito

Eric Dungey

Zack Mahoney

Clayton Welch

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