Syracuse football has nowhere to go but up

SYRACUSE, N.Y. » Syracuse’s Dino Babers is in uncharted territory as he prepares for his seventh season as a head coach. So far, he likes what he sees.

“This is the first time I’ve ever had a Year 3 anywhere,” said Babers, whose first two head coaching jobs were two-year stints at Eastern Illinois and Bowling Green. “I think everybody’s headed in the right direction. I think there’s more of our type of guys ( here) than before and I think it’s going to pay off for us in the long run.”

Year 3 holds the promise to be different. Syracuse has finished 4-8 three straight times with Eric Dungey at quarterback, partly because he’s missed the final three games of each season with injuries. The 6-foot- 3, 232-pound Dungey is back for his final year, and it’s make-or-break because he has aspirations to keep playing after college.

A dual threat and the key to Babers’ fast-paced offense — the

Orange averaged a play every 21 seconds last season — Dungey is the only ac-

tive FBS quarterback with 6,000 career passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards.

“I’m really trying to make the most of this last season. I’m trying to leave a legacy,” Dungey said.

What helps make this

team different is Dungey’s backup, redshirt freshman Tommy DeVito. On paper, DeVito is a big upgrade from previous years — he was an Under Armour All-American in high school and passed

for 3,800 yards and 35 TDs — and has benefited from Dungey’s last injury. DeVito was taking a share of the first- team reps in preseason camp, a continuation of his role in spring ball.