FSU Football: 5 reasons James Blackman is Willie Taggart’s QB in 2018

More Accurate Passer on Short/Intermediate Routes

How does an offense score points and take pressure off young quarterbacks? The offense stays ahead of the chains, winning on first and second downs.

Let’s take a look at what Deondre Francois did when asked to throw on first and second down:

• First down-103 of 174 (59.2 percent) for 1,622 yards
• Second down-94 of 178 (63.5 percent) for 1,099 yards
• Third down-47 of 98 (48 percent) for 712 yards

James Blackman

• First down-82 of 131 (62.6 percent) for 1,179 yards
• Second down-74 of 112 (66.1 percent) for 929 yards
• Third down-41 of 94 (43.6 percent) for 409 yards

Fisher liked to use short passes on early downs as an extension of the running game when teams stacked the box.

Look at these stats. Blackman is the more accurate QB on first and second down. Those passes in the flats to running backs or receivers Francois struggles with are throws Blackman makes with ease.

Both quarterbacks struggled on third downs, but Francois wasn’t light years better by any stretch with a full year under his belt.