Florida State’s worst fears have been realized. Far worse than Saturday night’s 24-7 loss to Alabama was the anxious feeling that the knee injury that knocked quarterback Deondre Francois from the game would cost him more than one doomed series.
On Sunday, reports from the Tallahassee Democrat and ESPN stated Francois suffered a torn patella tendon and will be lost for the remainder of the season. ESPN reports Francois is set for surgery later this week.
Francois would finish his season hitting 19-of-33 passes for 210 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He started the game single-handedly carrying FSU’s offense, putting the Seminoles on top with a touchdown pass to Auden Tate in the second quarter. But as Florida State failed to make Alabama respect its running game -- 40 total yards on 27 carries -- the Tide’s attack pinned its ears back and made life miserable for Francois, intercepting him in Florida State territory on two consecutive passes before a Ronnie Harrison sack knocked him from the game.
Francois immediately started grabbing his left knee on the Mercedes-Benz Stadium turf. He was helped from the field and spent time briefly in an injury tent on the Florida State sideline before emerging with a brace around his knee and crutches on each side. He was carted to the locker room, where reporters saw him after the game with negative body language.
Francois started all 13 games for Florida State last season as a redshirt freshman, throwing for 3,350 yards with 20 touchdowns against seven interceptions.
With Francois out -- Florida State has not confirmed the injury yet -- Jimbo Fisher indicated last night the ‘Noles would turn to true freshman James Blackman at quarterback. Florida State hosts Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday before No. 18 Miami comes to Tallahassee on Sept. 16.