Editor’s note: Two beat writers were assigned a quarterback to make the case for as Syracuse’s starter — one for Drew Allen, and one for Terrel Hunt.

Terrel Hunt scanned the defense for a moment. There wasn’t much hesitation. Something didn’t work. He had to make a quick decision.

The quarterback, playing his first series of the year, took off. He sliced through the Northwestern defense, shedding a handful of would-be tackles and diving headfirst across the goal line. It was a missed assignment, but it didn’t matter — Hunt did in 10 plays what took Drew Allen more than six quarters: account for a touchdown.

As he rose to his feet, his teammates mobbed him. Hunt flailed his arms and shook his head. He pounded his chest in his unbridled enthusiasm. He had finally gotten his opportunity on Saturday, and he made the most of it.

Three days later, he was again visibly excited. This time, it was the media that mobbed him.

A week ago, there was just a handful of reporters that wandered over to the backup quarterback. On Tuesday he had the big reveal —  Allen would start on Saturday, but Hunt will play against Wagner. The quarterback job that is rightly his is once again within reach.

He adds a dimension to the offense that Syracuse couldn’t even imagine with Drew Allen under center. When everything goes wrong, Hunt makes it work.

Just like he did on the touchdown run.

“When you do a typo, what do you do? You get some Wite-Out and make it right,” offensive coordinator George McDonald said, “so he got his Wite-Out out and he made it right.”

At Christ the King Regional High School in New York, Hunt threw and rushed for more than 1,200 yards. Were Allen the capable passer so many expected him to be when he arrived from Oklahoma, this wouldn’t matter. Hunt’s above-average legs wouldn’t outweigh his sub-par arm.

But Allen’s thrown six interceptions and just one touchdown. When plays go wrong for Allen, he tries to force the ball through a tight window. When plays go wrong for Hunt, he heads to the end zone.

“Those are some of the things he has the ability to do,” McDonald said. “When things go wrong he can kind of work his magic a little bit and try to get himself out of his problems he creates.”

Right now, that’s Allen’s problem. The only “magic” he’s cast was on his 55-yard bomb to Jeremiah Kobena against Penn State, that didn’t result in a touchdown.

When Allen first arrived, he was the exciting, trendy choice. He came from the Big 12 Conference and had the look of a potential franchise quarterback. He was shrouded in mystery, but with a big arm and a rare pedigree for Central New York. There was reason for excitement.

Two weeks into his Syracuse career, that’s completely deflated. He’s been one of the worst quarterbacks in the country, and the eye-popping plays like his throw to Kobena have come far too infrequently.

Now it’s Hunt who can infuse some excitement back into this season. It’s not right to call this season a lost cause yet — because it’s not — but it’s dangerously teetering on that edge.

Allen will need to dramatically improve for SU to challenge for a bowl game in a strong Atlantic Coast Conference. Hunt, it seems, is the quarterback of the future, and should be the one for the present.

Aside from Ashton Broyld, Allen hasn’t built consistency with any of his wide receivers. He’s only been practicing with the team since July.

Hunt manned the first team in the spring game. He held the edge early in the summer. With SU insistent on making the pistol work, Hunt has more experience with the system and with the arsenal that accompanies it.

“I worked with them all summer, all spring, so it doesn’t just go away in a few weeks,” Hunt said. “It’s something that’s there.”

In the box score, Hunt’s final run is just a throwaway touchdown in a 48-27 blowout, but when Hunt ran down the sideline after celebrating his own accomplishment, his teammates cheered.

The play, though, got under quarterback coach Tim Lester’s skin. He grabbed him out of a scrum.

“What are you doing?” he asked the newest quarterback in his rotation.

Hunt had the answer — he knew it wasn’t the right play.

He may not always make the right play, but he has the ability to fix the wrong one.

David Wilson is the sports editor at The Daily Orange where his column appears occasionally. He can be reached at dbwilson@syr.edu or on Twitter at @DBWilson2.

Published on September 12, 2013 at 2:01 am