FSU football did what they had to do after audio surfaced allegedly of the longtime starter making disturbing threats toward a woman.
From the time he stepped on campus as a member of the FSU football team, there has seemingly been a love hate relationship involving quarterback Deondre Francois. Fans praised his toughness in starting the 2016 season with a Swiss cheese offensive line and returning from a season ending injury in the 2017 opener.
After several off field issues came to light, Francois saw some of that love go away entering the 2018 season – only to be aided by his play at times that played a major role in the team’s first losing season since 1976 (despite having that same bad line in front of him) – to the point where plenty of people were upset to see him come back for 2019.
Well, those in that camp of the FSU football family aren’t going to have to worry about that anymore after news broke that head coach Willie Taggart dismissed Francois following the release of an audio clip allegedly of Francois making threats to a woman who claimed on social media to be the longtime girlfriend of the now former Seminoles.
Taggart’s statement read in part:
"“As we build a new culture and foundation for FSU Football, we have high expectations for all of our student-athletes and we will not shy away from those high standards of conduct.”"
Even if you aren’t a fan of Taggart and the way things went last season on the field (which shows you’re impatient, but that’s neither here nor there), the leader of FSU football needs to be commended for making the quick decision that behavior like this is not going to be tolerated from this point on.
Look, I have spent much of this past year defending Deondre Francois for what took place during the season – and I will stick by that defense because he did a decent job with what he had to work with – but the Seminoles had to do something immediately after hearing what was on that clip.
Whether we as FSU football fans want to accept it or not, the reputation about the program in the outside world is that they tolerate behavior like this toward women. From the allegations made against Jameis Winston to the situation with Dalvin Cook to the hiring of Kendal Briles and the baggage he brought from Baylor, it hasn’t been a good look for the Noles.
I have been the first person to also say let the process play out, but we also don’t need to act like this is the first time that Francois has had his name in the spotlight for something other then touchdowns. Had this been the first time, maybe you let it play out – but the trend of his history in Tallahassee meant it was time to go.
Taggart would not have made this decision just off accusations, though – Francois either had to have admitted to the audio or there was more that hasn’t come to light yet about the case that made it open and shut for the FSU football leader.
The Seminoles put the right thing ahead of what was best for the program on the field – as they are back to having just one scholarship quarterback in James Blackman – and should be commended for that.