James Blackman to start against NC State
TALLAHASSEE Florida State offensive linemen Alec Eberle and Landon Dickerson took quarterback Deondre Francois’ season-ending knee injury to heart after their loss to Alabama in Week 1.
Eberle, a preseason AllACC selection, said the offensive line should assume responsibility for their star quarterback getting hit, while Dickerson, a secondyear starter at left guard, said Francois’ injury was a “failure” by the unit.
FSU coach Jimbo Fisher quickly absolved the offensive linemen from the blame, reinforcing the injury was a product of a poor read during the play by Francois, who also held onto the ball slightly longer than normal.
“That injury had nothing to do with the offensive line. I mean people say that, there was not a missed block, it was a blitz read,” Fisher said. “It had nothing to do with the line. … They’re all going to say that because it’s the right thing to do, but they didn’t have to say that because that isn’t what happened.”
Several players on the team alluded to playing this season as tribute for Francois, who will miss this season with a torn patellar tendon in his left knee.
But Fisher hopes his players also do so with Blackman — the first true freshman to start at quarterback for the No. 12 Seminoles (0-1) since 1985 — in mind.
Blackman, a lean and slender 6-5, 170-pounder, will get his first taste of college football at noon Saturday in Doak Campbell Stadium against NC State (2-1), which features one of the nation’s most imposing defensive line units.
“They better want to play for James,” Fisher said of his offensive line with a laugh. “That group has a lot of pride. They’ve been maligned and criticized. They take it, and have a lot of pride in what they do, and they understand it. They’re the front line of everything that goes on and without them, we can’t function with any of the skill guys.”
NC State defensive ends Bradley Chubb and Kentavius Street combined for 15.5 sacks with 31 tackles last season, with defensive tackles Justin Jones and B.J. Hill clogging the trenches. The senior foursome will likely be selected by NFL teams in the draft next year, with Chubb projected as a top-10 prospect.
NC State senior linebackers Jerod Fernandez, Airius Moore and Shawn Boone also add to the team’s experienced front seven.
“They’ve been there forever,” Fisher said lightheartedly of NC State’s defense. “I go back over film for two, three, four years, it’s the same dudes.”
While FSU coaches, players and fans grew accustomed to seeing Francois bounce back from punishing hits last season, seeing Francois need the help of FSU’s athletic trainers to get off the field in Atlanta only added to the uphill climb the Seminoles will face this season in ACC play without him.
Keeping Blackman upright should be among the top priorities for the Seminoles offense during the 2017 season.
FSU’s defensive line, also considered one of the nation’s best, has been doing its part to help Blackman acclimate to his new role during the team’s twoweek layoff because of Hurricane Irma.
“He’s executing plays, doing what he has to do, listening to Jimbo, taking coaching,” sophomore defensive end Brian Burns said of Blackman. “Doing well.”