Florida State Football: Breaking down Seminoles’ quarterback battle

Francois certainly has areas in which he can improve. His gaudy 2016 numbers (3,350 yards passing and 25 total touchdowns to seven interceptions) hide a few of his flaws, namely his penchant for holding on to the ball too long and his lack of production against top-tier teams. Against three of the Noles’ top 25 foes in 2016 – Clemson, Michigan, and Louisville – Francois never eclipsed a 50 percent completion rate. That won’t cut it this season.

But it’s easy to forget that Francois, like Blackman, only has one season’s worth of experience as a Division I starter. He’s far from a finished product, and with three years of eligibility remaining (presumably, with a medical redshirt), his future is every bit as bright as his younger counterpart. He’ll also benefit from being able to use his legs more in Taggart’s spread option offense than he did in Jimbo Fisher’s pro-style scheme.

There are still questions, namely whether or not his lengthy injury layoff will affect his play or his rapport with the offense. Some have even questioned his leadership after the injured signal-caller failed to show up to Senior Day late last season. That’s not to mention an incident in April when Francois was revealed to be under police surveillance on suspicion of selling marijuana.

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Taggart seems to be pleased with his quarterback’s rehabilitation, though, and that’s a good sign. A healthy Francois should be the frontrunner for the starting job. How quickly he recovers will determine whether he’s taking snaps during week one, or later down the line.