FSU Football might need Deondre Francois to stay if Howell decommits

FSU football could find themselves in quite the quarterback pickle if their top 2019 recruit doesn’t come to Tallahassee and last year’s starter leaves.

For FSU football quarterback Deondre Francois, what a difference two seasons can make – in 2016, the then redshirt freshman was the toast of college football for his toughness and throwing for over 3,000 yards in leading the Noles to a 10 win and Orange Bowl title season…but last year, he could do no right to some members of the fan base, including some here at Chop Chat.

Now, the way things could end up playing out, Francois may be the most important recruit for head coach Willie Taggart in the 2019 class because the quarterback position may end up being one that could cause trouble for the Seminoles going forward.

Florida State Seminoles Football

It stems from the continuing question about whether or not Sam Howell, one of the top quarterback recruits in the class and a long time FSU football commit, is going to stick with that and make his way down to Tallahassee come the spring of 2019.

Since former offensive coordinator Walt Bell left to take the head coaching job at UMass, the debate has begun about how strong Howell’s bond was to the Seminoles – something that was even more brought into the spotlight considering the fact his home state program at North Carolina has put on a full court press trying to get him to flip.

We have to wait until Wednesday to find out, but the Seminoles could be in major trouble if that happens – and Deondre Francois could end up being the savior.

The problem comes with the fact that if Francois, who graduated last week, decides to ether go pro or leave for another program as a grad transfer, FSU football has James Blackman as a redshirt sophomore next year with three seasons left after not reaching the maximum amount of games he could have played last year without losing that redshirt.

After Blackman? Well, right now the Noles have three walk-on quarterbacks who were all true freshman last season. If that thought doesn’t scare you, I don’t know what does.

Plenty of venom was directed at Francois last season because of him throwing for 12 interceptions and only 2700 yards during the first losing season since 1976 – but how many of those five wins would FSU football have had without him leading the way? One could argue at least two and maybe even all of them.

Deondre Francois was not the only reason FSU football had a losing season – and if the options are someone who knows the new offense and someone who transfers in for one year (Khalil Tate, Jalen Hurts or any others), give me the known commodity as opposed to the unknown.

If Howell decides to wear baby blue come Wednesday as opposed to garnet and gold, FSU football nation better get on their best butt kissing outfit and do whatever it takes to make sure No. 12 is wearing a FSU football uniform next season.