How confident should Florida State football fans be in James Blackman?

James Blackman was named as the starting quarterback for the Florida State Seminoles over Alex Hornibrook and Jordan Travis. Can he exceed expectations?

In one of the least surprising announcements in college football thus far, James Blackman was named the starting quarterback for the Florida State Seminoles and head coach Willie Taggart.

The Seminoles are ready to get underway and are looking to rebound after the Deondre Francois-saga came to an end with Taggart’s dismissal of the once-promising (yet issue-prone) quarterback. Blackman was the direct successor after Francois’ 2017 ended due to an injury when the true freshman stepped up to the plate and led the ‘Noles to a 7-6 record and an Independence Bowl win.

After Francois regained the starting role last year, Blackman was allowed to redshirt a year, something that could benefit him greatly going down the stretch.

Blackman finished the aforementioned 2017 season at 173-297 with a 58.2 completion percentage, racking up 2,230 yards overall in the campaign. His final passer rating wasn’t too shabby, at 135.0 with 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Now Blackman, who wears the No. 1 for the Seminoles, has become QB1.

Along with his experience, he brings a strong arm and great deep ball to mix into the offensive fray for the Seminoles with perennial home-run threat Tamorrion Terry. Blackman and Terry have only played together in one official game, thanks to Terry’s redshirt in 2017, but in Blackman’s lone start in 2018, they connected for five catches and Terry’s career-high 142 yards, and two touchdowns.

Though Blackman isn’t the most elusive and certainly isn’t a mobile quarterback, he has the long strides needed to be a capable runner and to take the yards given to him. As far as expectations go for this season, the Seminoles should rebound from their bowl-streak being broken last season, and ESPN’s FPI predicts them to have a great 10 wins on the season.

Blackman will be the first quarterback to work in new offensive coordinator Kendal Briles’ offense for the Seminoles, an offense which reportedly doesn’t have a playbook to go by.

You heard that right. Terry and the rest of the Florida State football team will be learning their new scheme without a given playbook.

All reports indicate that Blackman and the team are learning the scheme well, citing that not having a playbook means they are demanded to write the plays, study them and learn them. It’s an interesting tactic, but one that could pay off in the long run if the Seminoles take a hold of it quickly, and the scheme fits correctly.

For Blackman and the ‘Noles, their season gets underway this Saturday when they face off against the Boise State Broncos at home. Blackman enters the season with the Seminoles looking for big success on the year, and a lot of that will fall on his shoulders as the head of the team on the offensive side of the ball.