Syracuse Football: Eric Dungey- What Makes Syracuse’s QB So Good?

4. The Handoff

This is the best part of his game in my opinion. Shocked? Maybe you thought his running or passing ability would’ve been the skill I liked the most. However, for me, his ability to handoff the ball (or fake the handoff, as the case may be) is what makes him truly special.

Think about how many pro quarterbacks are truly great at this. Not many. Maybe I’m biased because I’m a Colts fans, but Peyton Manning was one of the best at this in my opinion.

Breakdown:

In this play Manning fakes the handoff by tucking it deep in the running backs arms. Next, he pulls out and has the defender swallow up the running back while he pulls back for a long wide-open pass to a wide receiver Austin Collie.

In this play, it gives Manning options. he could hand it off, he could fake the handoff and pass, or he could fake the handoff and run a bootleg run himself. If he sucessfully fools the defenders that he has handed the ball off then most times its a big play for the offense. In this case it was.

Not a lot of quarterbacks can fake a handoff well, and most times defenders see the fake hand coming because its not convincing enough. However, if you run it really well it pays dividends.

Another future Hall-of-Famer, current Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is also a master of this handoff. He fakes the handoff so well, especially on the play below, that no one knows who has the ball.

Dungey does this play just as well, if not better, than either of these future hall of fame quarterbacks. He made a show of it against Central Connecticut State this past weekend, running it time and time again.

Breakdown:

In these videos you’ll see the first touchdown of the season for the Orange is by Dungey, he fakes the handoff to the running back, keeps the ball and runs it around for a score.

Next, he fakes a handoff to the running back and throws it long for Jamal Custis. Each time the defense collapses on the runner because they assume he has it because Dungey sold it so well.

Lastly you’ll see Dungey fake it really well once again, this time to run in for the score untouched. Nobody sees it coming because the defense has to respect the fact that he can pass.

Now I get it’s an inferior opponent but he’s done this play against ranked ACC opponents as well and its been effective. So Dungey’s handoff is one thing that really sends his game to the next level.