It seems like I've lived most of my adult life writing about whether or not James Blackman was going to be the starting quarterback at Florida State.
I'm trying to remember what life was like before "Blackman" and "QB competition" were such a common part of my daily routine. Did I have hair? Was my son, Brady, born yet? Was Bush in office? And if so, which one? Had I ever felt the true embrace of love?
It's hard to remember exactly how long Blackman has been fighting to be FSU's starting quarterback, but it sure feels like forever.
At any rate, it's September of 2020, and he has won the job. Again.
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While head coach Mike Norvell made the announcement on Tuesday, after three weeks of preseason camp, the truth is this felt like an inevitability as soon as freshman Chubba Purdy broke his collarbone.
Still. Blackman did win it. He beat out true freshman Tate Rodemaker and redshirt sophomore Jordan Travis, who has been limited at times this preseason for undisclosed reasons, to win the opportunity to start against Georgia Tech on Sept. 12 (3:30 p.m., ABC).
I know this news doesn't excite many of you, but what choice did Norvell really have? With two of his four quarterbacks limited and the other a true freshman who only got three total spring practices, it was obvious Blackman was going to be guy in Week 1.
To which I want to write: Congratulations, man.
Sincerely.
Blackman could've transferred when ANOTHER head coach (his third in four years), with ANOTHER offensive coordinator (his fourth in four years), took over the program late last year.
And when Norvell went out and signed two quarterbacks in the Class of 2020, I have to imagine Blackman was thinking, "Wait, do colleges still do that? What is this nonsense? I'm used to zero quarterbacks being signed at Florida State. And now I have to deal with two? I'm out!"
But he didn't leave. Not even after a disastrous bowl game that saw him turn it over every other play and then have a three-hour meltdown on the sideline.
I'll be honest: After that game, I didn't think there was much of a chance that Blackman would still be here in August. And yet here he is, and he's the starting quarterback at Florida State. Again.
