Florida State Football: Deondre Francois has plenty of help around him
Deondre Francois can handle the Florida State offense in Sean Maguire‘s absence. He’s got tons of talent surrounding him, making his job easier.
Florida State quarterback Deondre Francois has been handed the keys to Jimbo Fisher’s offense. 2015 starting quarterback Sean Maguire underwent foot surgery, which will cause him to miss four weeks. Maguire will miss the opener against Ole Miss and possibly another game.
So, the Seminoles title hopes will be in the hands of a redshirt freshman. Francois has not taken a single snap in his career. His only major action came in this year’s spring game. He completed 20-of-33 passes for 246 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also added 47 yards on the ground. He proved he could be effective against an ACC defense, even if it is a scrimmage. He’s a solid dual threat that should add a different dimension to the FSU offense
However, he’s not without help. The Seminoles’ offense returns seven starters including Heisman Trophy candidate Dalvin Cook. A strong running game and offensive line are keys to bringing a young quarterback along. Florida State has both.
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Cook rushed for 1,691 yards and 19 touchdowns while averaging 7.4 yards per carry last season. He’s a major reason for the team’s Peach Bowl appearance last year. He’ll be running behind three returning offensive line starters. Left tackle Roderick Johnson leads the group after being named All-ACC first team in 2015.
The Seminole’s offense also returns top receiver Travis Rudolph. He snared 59 passes for 916 yards and seven touchdowns. Behind him, Kermit Whitfield returns as well. He caught 57 passes for 798 yards and six touchdowns. Between these two, he should have solid targets to throw to against Ole Miss. But he’ll also have Jesus Wilson and Auden Tate and former top recruits looking to bust out in Ermon Lane and George Campbell.
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Starting tight end Ryan Izzo and fullback Freddie Stevenson also come back for Florida State. Francois has enough help to manage the game well against Ole Miss. He’s going to have to make some plays to keep FSU in the game. Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly will likely make the game a shootout. But, that doesn’t mean Francois needs to match every pass. He just needs to complement Cook and the rest of the team’s weapons.