Francois officially named starting QB for FSU’s opener
TALLAHASSEE — Nine days before Florida State’s season opener, coach Jimbo Fisher officially named his starting quarterback.
As expected, redshirt freshman quarterback Deondre Francois will lead FSU against Ole Miss during the Camping World Kickoff in Orlando on Labor Day.
“Most definitely, Deondre will start the opener,” Fisher said after the conclusion of preseason camp.
Francois, who attended Orlando’s Olympia High and finished his high school career at Bradenton’s IMG Academy, was a four-star QB recruit coming into FSU and has been assumed to be the starter since redshirt senior Sean Maguire went down with a stress fracture in his right foot two weeks ago.
Although Fisher did not immediately name Francois the starter after Maguire’s injury, he admitted that this decision has been known for a decent period of time, saying,
Francois may have never started a game at Florida State, redshirting for the 2015 season, but his spring game performance showed his potential. He went 20-of-33 passing for 246 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Fisher also is still unsure on whether Maguire will be available in any capacity for the season opener.
Rudolph has high hopes
The Seminoles’ established wideout is ready to take a step forward in 2016.
A season ago, Travis Rudolph led Florida State’s receiving corps in yards (916), touchdowns (7) and catches (59) and had one of the team’s highest yards per catch rates (15.5 yards). Rudolph has since been pushing to improve.
“Just got to work on my craft of everything,” Rudolph said. “Blocking, route running, all that.”
Coach arrested
FSU head strength and conditioning coach Victor Viloria was charged with DUI and property damage early Saturday morning.
Tallahassee police found Viloria, 37, asleep at the wheel of his truck on the I-10 off-ramp on North Monroe Street, according to the Tallahassee Democrat. The truck was in drive and Viloria's foot reportedly was on the brake pedal. When officers woke him, the truck traveled up the embankment, hit an electronic cross-walk and missed a utility pole, the Democrat reported.