With Syracuse football training camp less than two days away, The Daily Orange beat writers, Chris Libonati, Jon Mettus and Matt Schneidman, will analyze one of the top 10 preseason storylines, top 10 position battles or reveal one of 10 player files each day. Check out dailyorange.com and follow along here to countdown to camp.

Now that Eric Dungey is fully healthy, Zack Mahoney returns to the unceremonious role of backup quarterback to start the 2016 season. The walk-on junior has some competition this year, though, in the form of returning redshirt junior Austin Wilson and freshman Rex Culpepper.

Mahoney is the likely choice given that he threw for 535 yards and seven touchdowns last year — and the last time Wilson saw significant time was when Terrel Hunt was ejected for punching a Villanova player to begin 2014. Mahoney overtook Wilson in the quarterback pecking order against Central Michigan, when the walk-on led SU to an overtime win after Dungey left mid-game after being hit in the head. Wilson ended up playing in only two games last year, throwing for 49 yards and one touchdown, while Mahoney guided Syracuse to 10-point losses against a pair of top 10 teams in Louisiana State and Clemson.

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MORE PRESEASON COVERAGE:

• No. 1 storyline: Dino Babers’ offense
• No. 2 position battle: Defensive end
• No. 3 storyline: Can Eric Dungey stay in the pocket

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The mystery man is Culpepper, the first-year man from Plant High School in Tampa, Florida. He was an early enrollee and hasn’t played in game action since his junior year of high school because he missed his senior campaign with a torn ACL. In the spring, Dungey had high praise for the newcomer.

This may be a less valuable position for the Orange given Dungey’s seemingly decreased risk of injury resulting from his vows to stay in the pocket. But even so, Dungey could be one hit to the head away from being sidelined and Mahoney or Wilson or Culpepper could be called on just like that.

The pecking order on the post-spring depth chart is Mahoney then Wilson then Culpepper, but don’t be surprised if the freshman jumps Wilson as Mahoney and Dungey did to him last year.

Published on August 5, 2016 at 8:39 am

Contact Matt: mcschnei@syr.edu | @matt_schneidman