FSU football seems to be experiencing deja vu after Deondre Francois went down with a knee injury – almost one year after Derwin James did the same thing.
For the average FSU football fan watching the Seminoles go down in defeat at the hands of Alabama this past weekend, it was like Groundhog Day all over again watching a star player go down with what would turn out to be a season ending knee injury that will end up affecting the entire season.
It was almost one complete year ago that the Noles watched as Derwin James, arguably the best player on the 2016 Florida State defense and maybe the entire team, went down with a knee injury during the second game of the season that ended up sidelining him for the entire year – and leading the defense into a free fall that almost cost people their jobs.
So, if anyone knows the right thing to say to Francois about how to deal with this injury, it would be the man wearing No. 3 on defense for FSU football. James told the Orlando Sentinel recently that he would offer advice to the injured quarterback about how to deal with the injury – both physically and mentally:
"“Basically just telling him not to be so hard on himself — it happens. Just really being a leader off the field and show you care about the team and the guys. … He’s going through a lot right now.”“Take it day by day. There are going to be a lot of hard days. Remember to stay humble.”"
James went on to say that the team has faith and confidence in true freshman quarterback James Blackman, who will be making his first start this week when FSU Football hosts Louisiana Monroe on Saturday – saying Blackman is a “player who makes plays.”
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It may be just one game, but Derwin James looks like he is going to be just fine back on the field for the Seminoles this season. If there is anyone who has the ability to do the same thing next season for FSU football, it was probably Francois even before the injury took place – now, the Noles will get a chance to see that first hand in 2018.