Syracuse Football: 6 Key Players Against South Florida

Sep 19, 2015; Syracuse, NY, USA; Syracuse Orange quarterback Eric Dungey (2) warms up prior to the game against the Central Michigan Chippewas at the Carrier Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Eric Dungey

That’s right folks, Dungey is back! And there was much rejoicing!

After a really terrible late hit to the head in the game against Central Michigan, Dungey missed the LSU game with concussion symptoms. Thankfully, he has been cleared to play on Saturday, which is a huge boost to our offense. So far this season, Dungey’s decision-making, speed, and athleticism have been the catalyst to this team’s success on offense.

What makes Dungey such a potent weapon in the offense is his dual threat ability. Through the air, he’s completed 21 of 36 passes for 428 yards, five touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Though the completion percentage is a tad pedestrian at 58%, the big takeaway is zero interceptions. I really can’t stress enough how huge it is to have a quarterback who doesn’t turn the ball over. Hopefully that trend continues on Saturday.

Aside from passing, Dungey is also a very competent runner of the triple option, read option, and even just quarterback scrambles and bootlegs. On the ground he’s the third leading rusher for Syracuse with 106 yards and a touchdown. Keep in mind, he’s done that in little more than 2 games of play time. What makes him even more dangerous as a runner is his excellent reads. He seems to always know when to keep it himself or when to pitch out to his running back. That is a tough skill to master, and Dungey seems to do it with ease.

This game will be crucial for Dungey. He needs to pick up right where he left off and show that he is absolutely fearless. If he looks at all tentative about being hit, it could be a very long afternoon for Syracuse football. I don’t think that will be the case though. Dungey seems very eager to reassert himself into the game and I think he will walk in with confidence and play well.

Aside from Dungey, there are a couple of other offensive players that need to bring their A game on Saturday. One of them is also returning from injury and should be a huge asset to the Syracuse offense.

Next: Time to Ride the H-Train