Florida State Football: Breaking down Seminoles’ quarterback battle

For some, deciding between Blackman and Francois is as simple as looking at the numbers that the two signal-callers put up during their respective seasons as the starter. Francois, of course, leads in most every category.

That’s a misleading way to go about looking at the situation. The two quarterbacks were thrown into drastically different scenarios, and Blackman’s numbers have to be taken with a massive grain of salt. And, of course, the true sophomore actually performed pretty well!

There’s a lot working in his favor. With Francois still sidelined in the spring, Blackman’s gotten significantly more full-contact reps under Taggart, and that sort of familiarity is invaluable. He’s bulked up during the offseason and has a much more ACC-ready frame.

What, then, gives Francois the advantage in a race that appears to be a total dead heat? It’s simpler than it seems – Taggart’s Gulf Coast Offense relies quite a bit on the threat of the quarterback running, and Blackman is rather statuesque in the pocket (he finished 2017 with negative 39 yards rushing).

Blackman could start the season under center if Francois is still recovering, but he’s not the best fit for the offense that the Noles want to run. That may hold him back in the long run.