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Questions loom in FSU QB room with Purdy gone and Travis battling illness

Two weeks ago, Florida State had maybe the only quarterback room in the country with four players who had started games in their college careers.

Now, three remain. And one of those -- the best one -- is still fighting an illness.

FSU head coach Mike Norvell said Monday that starter Jordan Travis, who didn't play on Saturday because of a bout with flu-like symptoms, still doesn't appear to be cleared as the Seminoles begin prep for their rivalry game with Miami.

Norvell also talked about the departure of redshirt freshman Chubba Purdy, who entered his name into the transfer portal in the middle of last week.

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McKenzie Milton played every snap on Saturday in the Seminoles' 28-14 loss to N.C. State.
McKenzie Milton played every snap on Saturday in the Seminoles' 28-14 loss to N.C. State. (Associated Press)
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"Chubba came in on Tuesday and kind of informed me of where he got to," Norvell said during his first public comments about Purdy's departure. "It was him and a family decision to leave. And it was a shock really to just a lot of people around the program. At the end of the day, it's each young man's decision on what they want to do.

"He was actually one of the guys that was out [sick] with what was going on last week. So, it kind of caught me off-guard a little bit. But I wish him all the best in his future endeavors. It's one of those things where it's the new age of college football."

Norvell and offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham were both asked about Purdy's decision and the difficulty in keeping backup quarterbacks on a roster with the transfer portal so omnipresent in 2021.

Both said that while they wished Purdy had stayed, they also weren't going to lie to him or anyone else about playing time or depth charts.

They said it's not fair to the player himself. Or the guys they're competing with.

"I want to be real with our kids," Norvell said. "Exactly where they are, what it looks like, where I believe they're going to. For that situation with Chubba, I was really pleased. You look two weeks prior and listen to the interviews and the things that are said, I mean I was really pleased with the growth of what I was seeing from him."

So was Dillingham.

"You just tell them the truth, you're honest with him; that's the way we recruit and that's the way we handle our players," he said. "We're not going to sugarcoat things. We're going to tell them exactly where we think they stand, whether they like it or not. ... And then they've got to make the best decision for them. That's why the transfer portal is there for those guys.

"I'm rooting for him to be successful in his next chapter. And I know for a fact that he got drastically better through his time here. I know he knows he got better through his time here. And that's all I can control. ... And I wish him nothing but the best."

But he's not on the roster anymore.

***More updates from Norvell, coordinator press conference***

Of the three remaining, Travis still wasn't available for the Seminoles on Sunday, Norvell said. And while Monday is an off-day for the team, it didn't sound like the starting QB was on the cusp of returning to practice on Tuesday. Not unless he gets much better really quickly.

"We're going to see how the week progresses," Norvell said. "He was in pretty tough shape this past week. And it carried over to yesterday, and we'll see as we progress throughout the week."

McKenzie Milton and third-string quarterback Tate Rodemaker also dealt with the flu bug last week, Norvell said, but they were able to practice. And Milton was able to play every snap Saturday in the Seminoles' 28-14 loss to N.C. State.

For now, until Travis returns, he is the unquestioned starter for the Seminoles.

But Dillingham said he likes what he's seen from Rodemaker. And while he still has to get more consistent in his decision-making and being OK with throwing the ball away or going to a check-down receiver, Dillingham sais the redshirt freshman has made progress all season.

"He's gotten better throughout his time here," Dillingham said. "He has a great grasp of the offense now. He understands what we're trying to accomplish. He understands who he's trying to control on each play. He understands when and where the ball needs to be out on, so I have great confidence if he went into a game."

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