Lost for season
Severe knee injury sidelines FSU QB Francois.
ATLANTA — Florida State’s 2017 season got off to the worst way imaginable against Alabama on Saturday night.
Three special team blunders followed by two interceptions put the game out of reach. Then, quarterback Deondre Francois, a redshirt sophomore from Orlando, suffered a season-ending left knee injury that could put the Seminoles’ College Football Playoff semifinal aspirations in jeopardy.
The No. 3 Seminoles (0-1) suffered a 24-7 loss to No. 1 Alabama (1-0) in front of an announced crowd of 76,330 at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the first season opener between two top-three teams since 1950.
But FSU has bigger concerns on its hands without its star quarterback in Francois, who played poorly but showed signs of brilliance during the only scoring drive he led for the Seminoles against the vaunted Crimson Tide defense.
“I saw him and I hugged him, and told him I’m sorry he’s hurt,” FSU coach Jimbo Fisher said of his talk with Francois after the game.
Fisher did not have an update of the extent of Francois’ injury during his postgame interview, but late Sunday the quarterback was diagnosed with a patellar tendon injury. Francois, FSU’s star offensive player and a former Orlando Olympia High standout,
rolled out of the pocket late in the fourth quarter with the game well out of reach, and was brought down by Alabama’s Ronnie Harrison, slamming his left knee on the turf.
Francois instantly clutched his left knee and was helped by trainers off the field without putting any weight on his leg. He later used crutches to move toward a cart, wearing a heavy knee brace, and was carted back to the locker room in the final minutes of the game.
“It’s just one of those things like I always said when I was going through that process — it’s any play anybody can be hurt,” standout FSU safety Derwin James, who had a strong return in his first game since being sidelined with a knee injury during Week 2 last season, said of Francois.
“We’re not quitting as a team. We’re not [going to] just lay down because one person is hurt. [It’s] next man up.”
The Seminoles had a chance to be a special team this season with James and Francois leading the way.
FSU’s defense, which masterfully held Alabama to 269 yards of offense, could develop into one of the most stifling units in the country.
The offense, which needed work with Francois at the helm, will now rely on true freshman quarterback James Blackman, a fourstar recruit from Belle Glade Glades Central High.
And FSU needs to immediately address its play on special teams if it hopes to contend for an Atlantic Coast Conference title.
Ricky Aguayo’s blocked field goal to end the first half wasted a one-minute drive that nearly gave FSU a lead heading into halftime. Instead, Alabama led 10-7.
Logan Tyler’s punt blocked by Alabama running back Damien Harris set the Crimson Tide up at the FSU 6-yard line, but Seminoles defensive end Josh Sweat and James limited quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Tide offense to a field goal. Alabama led 13-7.
Then the wheels fell off for the Seminoles after wide receiver Keith Gavin misjudged a kick and fumbled his return inside the 10-yard line, setting Alabama up for an 11-yard rushing touchdown by Harris to put the game out of reach.
“We just couldn’t make the plays,” Fisher said. “Their defense did a great job, and we just didn’t make the plays on our side of the ball to get us back in.”
Hurts, Alabama’s secondyear starter, finished 10-of-18 with 96 yards, a passing touchdown to AllAmerican Calvin Ridley in the second quarter, and 55 rushing yards.
Francois led the Seminoles by going 19-of-33 passing for 210 yards and a touchdown pass to Auden Tate during a 90-yard scoring drive that saw him make five consecutive completions with precision. However, Francois ended the game with two interceptions before his departure.