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Published Nov 21, 2021
Warchant 3-2-1: Go ahead and say it ... Jordan Travis is a very good QB
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Ira Schoffel  •  TheOsceola
Managing Editor
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@iraschoffel

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- With a 26-23 victory Saturday at Boston College, the Florida State football team is one win away from bowl eligible.

It already has been a remarkable turnaround for a team that started the season 0-4, and it's only possible because of inspired play by the defense, the emergence of Jordan Travis as a very good college quarterback, and some redemption arcs for players who struggled early in the year.

We address each of those topics and more in this edition of the Warchant 3-2-1, where we offer three observations, two questions and one prediction.

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Three things we've learned

1 -- Jordan Travis might end up being a great one

At first, it was, "Maybe he's the best option because the offensive line isn't very good and he can at least avoid the pass rush."

And then it was, "If the running game is going to be the identity of this team, then it probably makes the most sense to add his legs into the equation."

After that, it was, "Well, the team DOES seem to score more points when he's at quarterback."

Well, as of Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021, it might be time for a new talking point for the Florida State media and fan base. How about something like this:

Jordan Travis has blossomed into a very good college quarterback -- one who might just end up being a superstar for the Seminoles.

If you're having a difficult time uttering those words, then you need to do yourself a favor and stop letting your premature judgment cloud your vision. Stop thinking about what you believed you knew about Travis in a COVID-affected 2020 season or early in 2021.

Instead, take an objective look at what Travis has done since taking over as the Seminoles' full-time quarterback earlier this season.

With FSU mired in an 0-4 start and looking at one of the worst seasons in school history, Travis got the nod against Syracuse on Oct. 2. He accounted for three touchdowns that day and helped the Seminoles pull out their first win of the year with a game-winning drive in the final minute.

Including that game, Travis has now led FSU to a 5-1 record in his six starts since taking the job back from McKenzie Milton. And that lone loss came at Clemson, in a game that the Seminoles actually led with three minutes remaining. (FSU's only other loss in the last eight Saturdays came when Travis was out sick against N.C. State.)

Now, I'll be the first to acknowledge that quarterbacks don't deserve all the credit or blame for wins and losses. FSU has benefitted from some other positive developments during that time as well -- most notably a healthier, more cohesive offensive line and some personnel changes in the defensive backfield, which have led to much-improved pass defense.

But there might be no more important position in any sport than quarterback in today's football, and I'm here to tell you that Florida State might just have a great one on its hands.

As my guy Charlton Young with the FSU men's basketball team likes to tell the doubters about Leonard Hamilton's program: "Don't get emotional. Read the data."

In these six starts since getting the job full-time, here is what Jordan Travis has done:

He has completed 90 of 137 passes (66 percent) for 1,100 yards with 10 TDs and 1 interception. He has rushed for 396 yards and 5 touchdowns.

So in six games, your starting quarterback has racked up 1,496 yards of offense (249.3 yards per game) and 15 total TDs with one interception.

In fact, since the season opener, Travis has thrown just two interceptions -- one came on a Hail Mary at Wake Forest and the other came when a tight end missed a block on a bubble screen against Syracuse.

Travis' other 144 passes since the opener have been caught by a Seminole or by no one.

So what you have right now is a guy who is accounting for 250 yards and 2.5 touchdowns a game without ever throwing the ball to the other team. And if you have really been paying attention, you've noticed how well he is moving around in the pocket to keep passing plays alive and also constantly improving his touch on different passes.

Now, imagine if he had a deeper and more talented receiving corps to work with. And consider what this offense might look like when this offensive line is a year older in 2022.

I can't pretend to tell you how great Jordan Travis is going to be by the end of his Florida State career. But I can absolutely tell you he's already far greater than most of us realize.

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