Until James Blackman throws a meaningful pass in an actual collegiate game, every Florida State coach or player will be peppered with questions about him.
Derwin James and Ryan Izzo were the latest to be quizzed about Blackman. Both players spoke with reporters before practice Thursday, and a good chunk of the inquiries centered around a certain true freshman starting quarterback.
"James has been doing great," Derwin James said of Blackman. "James is making throws, James is making checks. All I can say is that he's going to be ready."
It already has been an eventful start for the No. 11 FSU football team. The Seminoles (0-1) opened the season with national title aspirations, played and lost to the nation's No. 1 team in Alabama, watched redshirt sophomore quarterback Deondre Francois sustain a season-ending knee injury, and they will miss out on two consecutive game weekends due to Hurricane Irma's impact.
It's a lot of activity for only the first month of the regular season. Yet, what is the biggest story surrounding the Seminoles?
Blackman. All day. Everyday. Anything he does or says immediately becomes chum for a fanbase wanting to gobble up every detail.
There's good reason. Part of the allure with Blackman is the mystique which surrounds him. Fisher doesn't allow true freshmen to speak with the media. That means the earliest the public will hear directly from Blackman could be in the post-game locker room session after FSU's bowl game.
Stories have been written about Blackman and his upbringing in the western Palm Beach County town of Belle Glade, Fla.
Still, the fans and media want to know more: Like what are the differences and similarities between Blackman and Francois on the field.
"They throw the ball pretty similar, in my opinion," said Izzo, a redshirt junior tight end. "They know when to put touch on it, when not to put touch on it. Honestly, from working with them in summer, they're real similar guys. Every time Deondre was out there taking reps, we also took reps with James, Bailey [Hockman], J.J. [Cosentino], all of them. ... I think they're really similar."
