Ex-Duke guard Paulus wins QB job at Syracuse

Published Aug. 18, 2009 5:33 p.m. ET

foxsports

Former Duke point guard Greg Paulus Monday was named the starting quarterback at Syracuse, just a few months after arriving on campus as a graduate student looking to extend his athletic career.

Paulus was a high school All-American in basketball and football at Christian Brothers Academy, minutes from the Syracuse campus. After completing his Duke basketball career, he worked out for the Green Bay Packers last spring, then decided to try to pursue a return to football at the collegiate level. He met with Michigan and Nebraska coaches before deciding to play near his home.

Paulus beat out sophomore Ryan Nassib, senior Cam Dantley and freshman Charley Loeb for the starting position. Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone annouced the decision Monday night. The Orangemen open the season Sept. 5 against Minnesota in the Carrier Dome.

Paulus, a three-year starter at Duke, was one of the nation's top prep quarterbacks. As a senior running a potent spread offense, he threw for 3,700 yards and 43 touchdowns in a 13-0 season. He finished his prep career with 11,763 yards and 152 touchdowns passing.

Miami and Notre Dame offered him football scholarships, and he received a basketball offer from Syracuse before choosing to play basketball at Duke. For most of the past four years, his only flirtation with football came when he threw the ball around with his younger brother, Mike, a quarterback at North Carolina.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.