After the outcome of last night’s Florida State-Alabama showdown was already more or less decided, FSU star QB Deondre Francois rolled out to his right and was sacked from behind by Ronnie Harrison. Francois left the game clutching his left knee, and after murky reports out of FSU indicated that Francois’s injury was perhaps significant, that grim news has been confirmed. The Tallahassee Democrat reported this afternoon that Francois had suffered a season-ending patella injury, which he’ll have surgery for on Tuesday.
Francois started out hot for the Seminoles, but Alabama clamped down in the second half, and by the time Francois got hurt, the Crimson Tide had locked it up. Here’s the play where Francois hurt his knee.
Harrison wished Francois well after the game.
FSU coach Jimbo Fisher said that if Francois was out for an extended amount of time, true freshman James Blackman would take the reins. Blackman was ranked as a three-star recruit by ESPN, and he seems to be a real skinny (6-foot-5, 185 pounds) pro-style quarterback. He’ll lead the team against Louisiana-Monroe next weekend, but the Miami Hurricanes are coming to town the week after that.