No one likes to talk about injuries, but they are a harsh reality when it comes to the game of football. Losing a key player can play a critical role in a team's success or failure -- especially when it occurs at a vital position such as quarterback.
Florida State learned this lesson the hard way in 2017. Starter Deondre Francois went down with a knee injury in the opener and missed the rest of the season. Without an experienced backup under center, the Seminoles got off to a miserable 2-5 start, the worst by any FSU team since 1976.
Fast-forward two years, and the Seminoles again enter a season extremely thin at quarterback.
With Deondre Francois’ dismissal, James Blackman is the only returning quarterback that has started a game or taken a snap under center for Florida State. Wisconsin transfer Alex Hornibrook will give FSU at least one backup with experience on the roster. And Louisville transfer Jordan Travis is hoping to receive a waiver to become eligible to play this fall.
However, it’s unlikely either would be able to completely fill Blackman’s shoes and lead the offense as effectively if something happened to him.
Dealing with quarterback injuries is nothing new for new FSU offensive coordinator Kendal Briles. Last season at Houston, starter D’Eriq King went down in game 11 with a knee injury. Without King, the Cougars went on to lose their final two games.
Two years before that, when Briles and new Seminoles offensive line coach Randy Clements worked together at Baylor, starter Seth Russell dislocated his ankle against Oklahoma. With a backup running the show, the Bears lost that game and three of the next four. Russell also went down the year prior with a neck injury sustained in a win over Iowa State. At the time, Baylor boasted a 7-0 record and a No. 2 national ranking. After Russell’s injury, the Bears finished 3-3 and outside the top 10.
It’s no secret that Florida State was awful protecting the passer in 2018. In fact, the Seminoles ranked second to last among Power 5 schools, giving up an average of 3.2 sacks per game. Even worse, according to Pro Football Focus, the ‘Noles were dead last among all FBS teams in pass-blocking with a grade of just 45.4 percent. Those numbers should be alarming to Briles and Clements if they hope to adequately protect Blackman.
