A year ago, he was the new kid in the huddle. This year, he’s the leader of it.
FSU quarterback Deondre Francois is the proven commodity to the Seminoles’ offense after a year in which he threw for 3,350 yards and 20 touchdowns. But three of his receivers have graduated, and Dalvin Cook is no longer in the backfield. That means Francois will need help.
“The year he had, this guy is a big-time player,” FSU coach Jimbo Fisher told the Orlando Sentinel. “He can play, he can lead, he’s tough, he’s accurate, he can throw the ball. He will make a lot of money in this game one day. He’s getting better and better. That’s the thing at quarterback. You get all the glory, all the blame.”
Fisher said it is imperative for the other Seminoles to progress.
“It doesn’t matter who you play at quarterback if those guys don’t do their job,” Fisher said. “I don’t care if you have Joe Montana or Tom Brady back there, he’s not going to do it. There’s a standard they have to hold onto.”
Francois has a chance to show off his progress Saturday at 3 p.m. In the team’s spring game.
“That guy took you on five game-winning drives as a freshman,” Fisher said. “In big-time games, he competes and plays. You can go to another level, but it’s not always about the numbers. It’s about making smart plays and big plays.”
