Freshman QB Henry decides to transfer
TALLAHASSEE — True freshman q u a r t e r b a c k Ma l i k Henry will transfer from Florida State, his father, Marchell, confirmed in a text message.
It is unclear where Henry will play next season. He’ll have four years of eligibility after receiving a redshirt in 2016. Rated by Rivals as a four-star prospect, he was the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback — and the No. 34 overall prospect — in the nation.
Henry played his sophomore and junior seasons a t Wes t l a ke Oa k s C h r i s - tian (Calif.) and was briefly enrolled at IMG Academy in Bradenton before returning west to play his senior year at Long Beach Poly. He threw for 1,410 yards, 16 touchdowns and one interception as a senior.
An early enrollee, Henry showed flashes of promise during FSU’s spring camp. He and redshirt freshman Deondre Francois received increased reps with senior Sean Maguire sidelined by ankle surgery.
The 6-foot-2 and 185-pound Henry completed 15 of 22 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns during FSU’s spring game. He entered camp fourth on the depth chart but was suspended in August for an undisclosed v i o l a t i o n o f t e a m r u l e s . Henry returned in mid-September but fell to fifth on the depth chart behind freshman walk-on Jake Rizzo.
Henry was never really expected to play immedi- ately. Francois and Maguire competed to become the team’s starting quarterback, a job ultimately won by Francois. Maguire was his backup, while redshirt sophomore J.J. Cosentino was third on the depth chart.
Francois affirmed his place as the starting quarterback for the foreseeable future a f t e r t h r owi n g f o r 3, 1 2 8 yards, 18 touchdowns and six interceptions this season.
Henry’s role with the team started to come into question throughout the course of the season. Although the Seminoles had five quarterbacks on the roster, there were times when Henry was absent and the team only dressed four.
FSU will still have Francois, Maguire, Rizzo and Cosentino when it plays Michigan in the Dec. 30 Orange Bowl.
The Seminoles will return t wo scholarship quarterbacks in Francois and Cosentino next season, while Rizzo will be a sophomore. The Noles are expected to welcome three-star prospects James Blackman of Glades Central and Bailey Hockman, a former Georgia commit.
Blackman impressed FSU coach Jimbo Fisher with his performance at one of Fisher’s summer camps. It led to Fisher immediately offering the 6-foot-4 signal-caller, and Blackman would later pledge to the Seminoles. Blackman led Glades Central to the Class 4A regional semifinals this season.