FSU Football: Deondre Francois Work Ethic Could Be The Difference
By Kelvin Hunt
FSU football has a quarterback battle brewing even though one of the competitors is out for spring due to surgery rehabilitation.
FSU football has a problem most teams envy, a redshirt freshman quarterback that could be ready to start over a redshirt senior in Sean Maguire. That could be the case if things keep trending they way they have recently.
According to various reports, redshirt freshman Deondre Francois is making strides to become the starting quarterback this fall. The young player has all of physical tools.
He can make all the throws on the field with ease, he’s athletic and by all accounts has the work ethic you want to see in the leader of a team.
QB Deondre Francois was the last player off the field for #FSU after today's scrimmage. Stuck around and worked on red-zone throws.
— Orlando Sentinel-FSU (@osfsu) March 26, 2016
That has been the case virtually everyday of spring practice according to multiple reports.
Jimbo Fisher hasn't tipped his hand, but I get the distinct feeling that Francois is flashing at him more and more this spring.
— Orlando Sentinel-FSU (@osfsu) March 26, 2016
Francois knows he has an opportunity to separate himself with Maguire out for spring practice and seems to be embracing the opportunity. We’ve heard he has already captured the locker room and his teammates believe in him, vouching that he’s usually the last player to leave practice each day.
If you couple athletic ability with work ethic, that demands respect from your peers. The biggest challenge for Francois will be his playbook knowledge.
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He’s going to make mistakes due to inexperience, but will Jimbo Fisher be willing to take that risk? He did it with Everett Golson last season. Golson had tons of game experience, but he was a novice at best in Fisher’s pro-style system. Yet, Fisher chose him to be the starter last season although Maguire eventually took over.
Sean Maguire knows the FSU offense better than any of the other quarterbacks on the roster. He has the most experience, granted it’s a small sample size for a redshirt senior.
However, Francois had the opportunity to learn during his redshirt season last year while running the scout teams at practice.
Jimbo Fisher spoke about Francois after the team’s first scrimmage this week, “I like what [Francois] did today, Francois has to learn you got to step your boundaries. He made some really nice throws at times today.”
If Francois continues to put in work on and off the field, his work ethic could be the difference in him being the starter this fall.