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FSU Football quarterbacks ranked second best in ACC for 2018

By Jason Parker

ORLANDO, FL - SEPTEMBER 05: Deondre Francois #12 of the Florida State Seminoles drops back to pass against the Mississippi Rebels during the Camping World Kickoff at Camping World Stadium on September 5, 2016 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - SEPTEMBER 05: Deondre Francois #12 of the Florida State Seminoles drops back to pass against the Mississippi Rebels during the Camping World Kickoff at Camping World Stadium on September 5, 2016 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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FSU football has a battle many people would envy as they have two, maybe even three, quarterbacks who could play for almost any FBS program in 2018.

When the FSU football takes the field for the first time during fall practice in the coming days, they will do so still wondering who the starting quarterback will be when the team takes the field for the season opener on September 3rd against Virginia Tech – both a good and bad problem to have for the Seminoles.

On one hand, it would be nice to know who the starter will be so the Noles can perfect their game plan and know what’s going down as they go forward with the practice part of the preseason. On the other hand, the luxury of having two, maybe three, signal callers who are FBS worthy right now is a nice problem to have.

With both Deondre Francois and James Blackman having essentially a year experience under their belts each – and Bailey Hockman chilling there after being a top recruit out of high school – FSU football has arguably one of the best quarterback rooms in the entire world of college football.

CollegeFootballNews.com agrees with that statement, ranking the Seminoles has having the second best quarterback group in the ACC entering the 2018 season behind reigning champs Clemson – while giving an edge to D12 in the battle for starter.

"The off-the-field issues don’t appear to be a barrier for Francois, and he’s expected to be healthy and ready to go for the start of the season…Bigger and stronger, he’s built to take a pounding, unlike the ultra-thin James Blackman, (though) Blackman has the experience to push for the job."

There are plenty of people across the FSU football nation (including some members of the Chop Chat staff and family) who think that Blackman should hold on to the starting job after going 7-5 last season and showing improvement as the year went on – and I will be the first to admit that not all of those five losses are on him, so he should get plenty of credit for the good.

Still, I firmly believe that Francois is the right person to be the starter when the Seminoles face the Hokies. He didn’t lose the starting job because of lack or talent, but because the offensive line couldn’t protect him against Alabama and he got hurt – not the reason to never get a chance to return to the lineup.

D12 was a durable signal caller for FSU football during his season as a starter, going for over 3,300 yards and 20 touchdowns while leading the Seminoles to an Orange Bowl win and a season sweep over rivals Miami and Florida. In addition, his ability to throw and run is what will be needed in the new Gulf Coast offense.

Next. Top questions heading into start of FSU fall practice. dark

The chance is always there that you will lose one of the three players after the season (Francois maybe to the NFL, Hockman or Blackman transferring if they don’t start this season), so this could be the final time FSU football has such a “problem” to worry about.

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