FSU football: FSU’s 10 most important players for 2020 season

James Blackman

I’ve already written how I expect the FSU defense to be the strength of the team in 2020. They return a ton of experience and production with difference-makers at all three levels.

The defense will keep the team in games, but it’ll be up to the offense to play well enough to put W’s in the win column.

That’s why the most experienced quarterback on the team is the most important player for 2020.

Enter redshirt junior James Blackman.

Listen, at the end of the Sun Bowl I was done. I understood all the obstacles the young man has faced in his time at FSU. He HAS been given a raw deal, but that performance against Arizona State was the last straw at the time.

However, I think a lot of Blackman’s issues were with the previous coaching staff never giving him a fair shake. They went to a two-quarterback system when he wasn’t the issue in the first few games last season. He was playing well enough for them to be 2-0 instead of 1-1. That move, along with getting injured seemed to zap what little confidence he had while playing for his third offensive coordinator in three years.

This is how important James Blackman is for FSU in 2020. If he finishes the season as the starter, then you know they probably won eight or more games. If removed as the starter at any point, a true freshman will be taking snaps, and things probably haven’t gone as well as one had hoped.

The guy has tools, it’s all about playing to his strengths and putting him in positions to succeed. It was clear as day in the first halves of the first two games of the season in 2019.

He was completing 73 percent of his passes and had thrown six touchdowns against two interceptions. He was averaging 11.4 yards per completion, and they scored 31 and 24 points, respectively.

Can Mike Norvell help him re-gain the confidence he lost? If so, I expect Blackman to surprise a lot of fans in 2020. If not, we’ll likely see a new face at quarterback relatively early in the season.