Fisher pleased with QB Blackman’s poise
TALLAHASSEE — While true freshman quarterback James Blackman continues to grow comfortable behind Florida State’s faulty but developing offensive line, the Seminoles football team is still searching for its offensive rhythm and continuity after three games during a disrupted start to the 2017 season.
FSU’s offense relied heavily on big plays to get into ideal field position during its 26-19 comeback victory at Wake Forest last week, but there were many opportunities when the offense succumbed to a penalty or had to settle for a field goal outside the rare opportunities they capitalized with a touchdown.
Still, FSU coach Jimbo Fisher was most pleased with how Blackman was able to help the Seminoles mount a comeback, thanks to his 43-yard pass to Keith Gavin that set up the gametying field goal. That was followed by a 40-yard touchdown pass to Auden Tate to seal FSU’s first win of the season.
Fisher hopes the Seminoles can put it all together as they prepare to face No. 13 Miami on Saturday at Doak Campbell Stadium.
“There was never a rhythm,” Fisher said this week of his offense against Wake Forest. “The game was kind of a game of extremes where you made big plays and then both teams would do it. … Get it and all of a sudden stop or have a penalty or have something in that way.
“So we’ve got to get more consistent, which I think will help him get in a better groove as our team does.”
Before a poised Blackman finished the fourth quarter with his two big plays to Gavin and Tate, the Seminoles had a rough time moving the football against Wake Forest, which had a school-record 17 tackles for a loss during the game.
The big plays and stalled drives the Seminoles delivered during the win included:
Running back Jacques Patrick broke free for a 69-yard run out of the end zone but was caught at the 30-yard line early in the first quarter. The Seminoles had to settle for a career-long 51-yard field goal by Ricky Aguayo to salvage the drive after starting left tackle Derrick Kelly left with a leg injury, and Blackman was sacked and fumbled on the next play.
The Seminoles were able to narrow Wake Forest’s early lead to 12-10 with less than six minutes before halftime when Patrick scored on a one-yard run, FSU’s first rushing touchdown of the season, after receiver Gavin started the drive with an 81-yard kickoff return.
After the team’s first forced turnover this season, a tipped interception by sophomore defensive back Kyle Meyers, FSU settled for a 27-yard field goal by Aguayo roughly three minutes before halftime.
FSU’s longest sustained drive of the game, which lasted 15 plays for 60 yards in 8:22, saw Patrick break a 23-yard run and Akers add a 27-yard run. The Seminoles reached the 4-yard line and scored a touchdown after a one-yard keeper from Blackman, but a holding penalty negated the score. It forced FSU to take a 16-12 lead in the third quarter.
The Seminoles also could not capitalize on an opening 100-yard kickoff return touchdown by Derwin James that was negated by a penalty while benefiting greatly from an overturned targeting penalty on James before halftime that could have altered the second half.
With Blackman’s first road victory under his belt, Fisher hopes his young quarterback can continue to build off his experience leading FSU’s comeback against Wake Forest.
“I thought he showed great patience in the game for a young guy. And there’s some things I definitely want him to do better,” Fisher said of Blackman. “But at the same time, that’s a huge growth, and you don't feel that pressure to go out there and do too much and make a huge mistake.
“That’s a huge growing point and maturity thing for him, what he went through this weekend.”