Syracuse Football: Eric Dungey can break passing records if he stays healthy in 2018

A sleeper to really make some noise in the ACC in 2018 is Syracuse football quarterback Eric Dungey, if his health holds up.

Syracuse football had some very significant moments in 2017, making head coach Dino Babers a hot commodity on the coaching market for the early portion of the regular season. An attention commanding upset of the 2016 National Champion Clemson Tigers made the Orange a known sleeper in the ACC for the rest of the year.

However, things didn’t go too well for Babers or Syracuse for the rest of the season, winding up with four wins total. And, it was the second consecutive year that Babers led his squad to just four wins. He could find himself on the hot seat if the Orange aren’t able to improve this year.

One key to Syracuse finding their way in 2018 is the health of rising senior quarterback Eric Dungey. Once again, Dungey missed some action in 2017. That made way for Zack Mahoney and Rex Culpepper to get some playing time last season.

Even with some missed game time, Dungey still accumulated nearly 2,500 passing yards and 14 touchdowns. He also added another nine touchdowns on the ground. Considering Syracuse lost eight games last season, Dungey’s stat line is pretty impressive altogether.

So, the real question here is what can Syracuse do with Dungey healthy for a full season, and a couple years experience under his belt? If he starts all 12 regular season games, he could easily eclipse the 3,500 passing yard mark, with some help from the skill position players.

Moreover, he could potentially shatter the record of former Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib for single season passing yards, at 3,749 achieved back in 2012. Dungey actually rings in second for the most passing yards in an individual season for the Orange.

Nassib also owns the single season passing touchdown record in Syracuse football history, at 26. If Dungey cashes in on a few of his red zone rushing touchdowns with his arm instead, that mark is also attainable in 2018.

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The pieces are definitely in place for Dungey to have a huge season in 2018, if his health holds up. Through his first three years starting for the Syracuse offense, he hasn’t played in double digit games in any individual season yet.