#CampCuse Position Preview: Quarterbacks

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – It's no secret Syracuse likes to throw the football.

During head coach Dino Babers' first two seasons, the Orange attempted more passes than they did during any previous two-year period in the program's 128 seasons. Syracuse threw a school-record 548 times in 2017, completing 320, which was the second-best completions total in team history.

To handle that type of volume you need a dynamic quarterback and Syracuse has one in returning starter Eric Dungey. The Orange also boast a talented set of reserves that led ESPN's David Hale to rank Syracuse's set of signal callers second in the ACC behind only league favorite Clemson.

Hale called Dungey "perhaps the most underappreciated quarterback in the country." A candidate for the Maxwell Award as the nation's top player, Dungey is one of the most exciting players in the conference. He has been the dominant figure in Babers' offense, showcasing the skill set that makes him the only active FBS quarterback with 6,000 career passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards.

The only thing that has stopped Dungey has been injuries. He's made 25 starts in his tenure, but he has also missed 10 outings due to various ailments. He has tossed multiple touchdown passes in 16 of his 26 appearances with the Orange.

Day 1 ✅

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While Dungey is the household name, Babers anticipates a healthy competition between all the quarterbacks during camp.

"I expect those guys to compete. It's no different than any other position on this football team," Babers said earlier this week. "Practice counts, regardless of what some of the Philadelphia 76ers believe. "Practice actually counts. Now it's not game experience, and that's the thing that's really tricky."

Redshirt freshman Tommy DeVito, an Under Armour All-American at Don Bosco Prep (N.J.), is charted as Dungey's backup. DeVito passed for 3,800 yards and 35 TDs in high school. He received valuable first-team reps in the spring with Dungey recovering from offseason foot surgery.

Rex Culpepper, a redshirt sophomore, made his first collegiate start against Boston College at the end of last season. He was 24-of-34 for 280 yards and two touchdowns against the Eagles. Culpepper suffered a setback during the offseason when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He gamely handled treatment, even tossing a dramatic touchdown pass in the Spring Preview. Culpepper has been ruled cancer free and is back vying for field time.

Clayton Welch joined the roster last summer after transferring from Butte College (Calif.). He is the tallest of the quarterbacks at 6-5. Welch was named the NorCal League MVP after the leading the Road Runners to a 9-3 record two years ago. He threw for 1,325 yards with 13 touchdowns and also ran for 821 yards and 11 scores.

A newcomer among the signal callers is freshman Chance Amie from Tyler Lee High School (Texas). An early enrollee, Amie has dynamic running skills to pair with his passing ability. He was a two-time District 11-6A First Team honoree and racked up 5,325 yards of total offense and 53 touchdowns in his final two scholastic seasons. Amie scored a 7-yard rushing touchdown during the Spring Preview.

Syracuse kicks off the campaign Friday, Aug. 31 at Western Michigan. The Orange's first home game is Saturday, Sept. 8 versus Wagner.

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

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Syracuse University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Chance Amie

Rex Culpepper

Tommy DeVito

Eric Dungey

Clayton Welch

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