Alex Hornibrook brings stability, experience to Florida State QB situation
Alex Hornibrook is headed to Florida State, where he will give Willie Taggart an experienced option under center.
Seeing the writing on the wall with a top recruit coming in, Alex Hornibrook announced late last month he would be transferring from Wisconsin. Florida State was clearly in the market for a grad transfer quarterback, and after taking an official visit on Friday Hornibrook announced he is headed to Tallahassee.
Hornibrook went 26-6 over three seasons as the starter for the Badgers. He was bothered by back and head injuries last year, and completed just over 59 percent of his passes for 1,532 yards with 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in nine games. During his career in Madison he threw for 5,438 yards in 35 total games, with a 60.5 percent completion rate, 47 touchdown passes and 33 interceptions.
For the second straight year, with the caveat of top target Lance LeGendre committing to Maryland, Florida State head coach Willie Taggart did not get a quarterback on National Signing Day. After the dismissal of Deondre Francois in early February, only James Blackman remained on the Seminoles’ depth chart with any game experience under center. Blackman appeared in four games as Francois’ backup last year, but he started most of the 2017 season as a true freshman after Francois went down in that season opener.
Hornibrook brings winning acumen and a lot of game experience with him, but Florida State’s bad offensive line makes durability a question after he suffered a concussion last year. It’s also far from a guarantee he beats Blackman out for the starting job, or keeps the job if he does win it once his limitations as a passer are put on display out of the run-oriented cocoon he was provided at Wisconsin.
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But with few (if any) options out there for either side, Hornibrook and Florida State are a marriage of mutual convenience. Taggart needed to add someone who will be available during the 2019 season, with the status of a couple traditional transfers unclear, and Hornibrook needed an opportunity to start as the last grad transfer quarterback on the market this spring.