FSU football has started the rest of the season without Deondre Francois under center – but does that mean they get a pass on the rest of the year?
This past Saturday, life for FSU football officially began for the Seminoles without quarterback Deondre Francois as they played their first game since D12 was lost for the rest of the season following a knee injury suffered against Alabama – an injury that, in the eyes of many, doomed the Seminoles’ chances of winning the ACC and making it back to the CFB Playoff.
The new man under center, true freshman James Blackman, stepped into the lineup against N.C. State and finished with a stat line of (numbers) in the (outcome) over the Wolfpack.
Last week’s game was the first of several serious test that the Seminoles will face with their new quarterback, including Miami in two weeks and Clemson later in the season. With a schedule that is full of land mines coming up and the best offensive weapon watching from rehab, the question comes if the Seminoles are going to get a pass should things falter this season.
By falter, I’m not talking about a 3-9 finish cause something like that would be unacceptable – but instead, a projected 11-1 regular season record becoming an actual 7-4 finish. In the eyes of some experts, FSU football would get a pass for that considering Francois was that talented of a quarterback and someone who could take a hit and keep on ticking.
At the same time, with the way the defense played against Alabama and N.C. State, there might not be as much slack given to the Seminoles considering they still have plenty of playmakers like Derwin James, Derrick Nnadi, Tarvarus McFadden and more to go with players on offense like Auden Tate, Nyqwan Murray, Jacques Patrick and more.
You never want to make excuses for what takes place over the course of the season – but there is no question that losing someone with the talent of Francois at the most important position hurts FSU football the rest of the season, even if they can bounce back and finish undefeated the rest of the way or lose just one game.
Next: Expectations For FSU Football For Rest of 2017 Season
I know plenty of people on the outside will likely cut the Seminoles some slack if the season doesn’t finish as predicted – but there are plenty on the inside in Tallahassee who will do no such thing.