Florida State football spring preview: Will Seminoles improve in 2019?
By Matt Oglesby
Biggest storyline: Offense, offense, offense
The Seminoles were embarrassing in 2018, ranking near the bottom of the country in total offense (361.2 yards per game), scoring offense (21.9 points per game), and rushing offense (91.1 YPG). Willie Taggart and his new offensive coordinator Kendal Briles will have their hands full turning this around. Much of their success rests on the lanky shoulders of quarterback James Blackman.
Blackman is a good but not great quarterback. He has a big, accurate arm and all the leadership qualities you want to see in your starting quarterback. Trouble is, he’s 185 pounds dripping wet, he’s playing behind an offensive line that might be average at best in 2019, and he’s not exactly a mobile guy. He can wiggle around and make things happen when the pocket collapses, but he’s not going to be a threat in the run game—which is how the Briles-Taggart power-spread offense is designed.
Reports from spring practice have been positive. Blackman has looked sharp pushing the ball down the field to a receiving corps that is perhaps the Seminoles’ best in quite a while, including standouts Tamorrion Terry, Keyshawn Helton, and D.J. Matthews. There have also been picks, as Blackman works on his tendency to force the ball when things break down, as they often do.
Unlike Deondre Francois, who started in 2016 and 2018 before his dismissal in February 2019 following domestic abuse allegations, Blackman’s demeanor and character are unquestionably high caliber. Upbeat and encouraging, Blackman has an infectious personality. Players and coaches rave, calling him a “great team leader” and “one of the most genuine people I have ever met.”
High praise for a young man and certainly what you hope to hear about your starting quarterback. The rubber will meet the road in the Garnet and Gold Spring Game on April 6. Then we will have a better sense of just how far Blackman has developed, as well as what the other quarterbacks might offer, including transfers Jordan Travis and Alex Hornibrook.