Rating the Room: FSU QBs enter 2022 summer with Travis in control

With the spring semester coming to a close and the Florida State football team preparing for the start of summer workouts, it's time to take stock of each position on the Seminoles' offense and defense.

What are the position strengths and weaknesses? How is the depth? Is additional help needed through the transfer portal?

We'll answer each of those questions and more, continuing today with the quarterbacks. And don't miss the earlier previews, along with accompanying video breakdowns: Running Back |

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There are three scholarship quarterbacks on the roster, along with one veteran walk-on. And for the first time in at least five years, the Seminoles enter the summer with no question about who will be the starting quarterback.

Deondre Francois was the last clear-cut starting QB for the Seminoles, and even he faced questions at times due to injury and off-field issues. Then there was James Blackman vs. Alex Hornibrook, then Blackman vs. the field (Jordan Travis, Chubba Purdy and Tate Rodemaker), then Travis vs. McKenzie Milton.

Now, it is Travis' offense to run, and the only lingering questions are about his durability and the dependability of his backups.

1. Jordan Travis, R-Jr., 6-1, 201 -- For the first time since he was in high school, Travis enters an offseason as his team's unquestioned leader on offense. Travis alternated with Milton early in the 2021 season, but once he took over following an 0-4 start, the Seminoles won five of the final seven games he started. While his greatest asset is his running ability -- he already holds FSU career records for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns by a quarterback -- Travis showed some improvement as a passer last fall and into the spring. The task for him this summer will be further refining his passing skills, while also continuing to grow into an unfamiliar leadership role. Adding strength to improve his durability is another item on the agenda.

2. Tate Rodemaker -- R-So., 6-4, 196 -- With the starting spot no longer in question, much of the attention this spring was on Rodemaker and whether he could be a dependable backup. Based on what we saw in the spring, the answer appears to be yes. He played with much more poise than we have seen in the past, he seemed to have a much firmer grasp of the offense, and he has always had a nice arm. That's not to say we believe Rodemaker could come in right now and lead the Seminoles to a bunch of victories if something happened to Travis -- that would be a stretch given FSU's question marks on the offensive line and at wide receiver -- but he has shown he can competently manage the offense. And in the age of the transfer portal, it's difficult to expect much more than that from a backup quarterback.

3. A.J. Duffy, Fr., 6-2, 223 -- Coming in as an early enrollee, Duffy quickly showed why Mike Norvell and his staff were so high on him during the recruiting process. The former four-star prospect has a strong arm with nice hand talent, and he also brings the added dimensions of size and speed. If things break down, he certainly has the physical tools to make something positive happen. At the same time, it's a lot to ask of a freshman signal-caller to pick up a full college offense in one spring, and that's what the Seminoles did with Duffy. As the month of practices wore on, it was apparent at times that the freshman's mind was swimming as he tried to process information in the pocket. More often than not, he had to revert to making something happen with his legs. But when Duffy felt comfortable and confident in what he was doing, there was no question the talent was there. This summer will be huge for him in the meeting room and also during player-run practices.

4. Gino English, R-So., 6-1, 194 -- Though he is a walk-on and not quite as gifted physically as the three players above him, English is now entering his fourth year in the program. And he has shown in numerous practices and scrimmages that he can make plays. While most of his action comes against the third-team defense, English is likely as good as you could hope for in a walk-on quarterback at this level.

For the Florida State football team the past two seasons, the best recipe for success has been pretty simple -- Jordan Travis needs to be on the field. His legs and athletic ability not only create the opportunity for many big plays on the ground, but he also is elusive enough to help out an offensive line that often struggles in pass-protection.

The negatives associated with Travis' career, however, are well-documented. He has had a difficult time staying healthy, and he has not proven to be a big-time passing quarterback. While Travis frequently makes impressive throws -- like the clutch passes to Ja'Khi Douglas and Andrew Parchment late in the win over Miami -- he sometimes doesn't see open receivers and doesn't throw with great anticipation.

That can be frustrating to fans, and presumably his coaches at times, but the reality is he's a good enough passer that, with his elite running skills, he can be a very good college quarterback. If it wasn't for the durability concerns, Travis would have to be considered one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country.

With Rodemaker showing substantial improvement this spring, FSU's coaches likely feel more comfortable with the prospect of him spelling Travis for a drive here or there. Duffy wouldn't likely be called upon unless Travis was unavailable and the offense needed a more mobile and physical runner behind center.

As we said with the running back position, this is not an area where the Seminoles will spend a lot of time looking at the transfer portal.

In a perfect world, FSU would love to have another proven commodity at quarterback to both challenge Travis and to be available if he were to miss time. But that isn't the reality in college football these days. Transfers aren't looking to compete with established starters, and frustrated backups -- like Chubba Purdy -- are quick to look for better opportunities.

If somehow a grad transfer became available this summer, and it was someone who was a perfect fit for the Seminoles' situation, then maybe the coaches might be interested? But it seems highly unlikely given the circumstances.

C-plus/B-minus -- Slightly above average in ACC

As dynamic as Travis is, the ACC again will be very top-heavy at quarterback this fall. From veterans like Sam Hartman at Wake Forest and Devin Leary at N.C. State to proven playmakers like Malik Cunningham at Louisville and Brennan Armstrong at Virginia, there are a bunch of teams in the conference who feel great about their starting quarterbacks. Add Miami with Tyler Van Dyke and Boston College with Phil Jurkovec to that list, and you can see why Travis might be close to the middle of the ACC pack. The fact that Travis is such an elite runner gives him an edge over a couple of these in the top half of the league, but he would have to take another step as a passer -- and remove the durability concerns -- to move into the top group.

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