Deondre Francois: Will his injury be healed by fall camp?
By Kelvin Hunt
FSU football will be counting on Deondre Francois to be healthy for fall camp and create a full QB competition.
The Noles are in the midst of summer where players are working out on their own with the strength and conditioning coaches while also honing what they learned in spring camp.
This time period is crucial and often dictates how well fall camp and the season goes. I can’t think of any of other player on the roster who time is more valuable to than Deondre Francois.
The former starting quarterback is nine months removed from surgery to repair a torn patella tendon suffered in the first game of the 2017 season.
He participated in some 7 on 7 drills in the spring but was limited to non-contact drills. FSU head coach Willie Taggart appeared on Marty Smith’s America the Podcast this week and spoke on Francois’s progress among other things. Here’s what he had to say about Francois’s injury and rehab:
“I wouldn’t say 100 percent, but I’d say probably 80 percent,” Taggart told Smith. “He’s running now. He’s out running and doing things with the team, and that’s good because spring ball he wasn’t necessarily running…but he’s running and cutting and doing things with the guys now. He’s right on track.”
Thoughts
I know some fans have voiced concern on social media about the “80 percent” number Taggart threw out there. The most important thing is Taggart said Francois is running and cutting on the repaired knee.
I’ve never had major surgery but I’d imagine there’s some swelling to the knee at times which is to be expected. The amount of time it takes for the swelling and/stiffness to subside is the most important part.
We’re still almost five full weeks from the start of fall camp which will put Francois at over 10 months removed from surgery.
Most physicians indicate athletes can return to sports after six months of rehab from this sort of injury.
Of course, that time-table can fluctuate based on the severity of the injury coupled with how quickly an individual heals.
Will it be something Francois will have to deal with throughout the entire season? I think Francois will be healthy enough to participate fully in fall camp, but the question will be how will the knee stand up to the rigors of practicing on a daily basis?
It sounds like Coach Taggart is pleased with where he’s at right now and I’m sure the staff is keeping him informed on Deondre’s progress.
Next: Why Deondre Francois Should Be Starting QB in 2018
Recent reports have been positive surrounding Francois’s commitment and it’ll be interesting to see if he can regain the form that made him ACC Offensive Player of the Year.