Who will be Florida State’s starting quarterback in 2016? Your guess is as good as anyone’s at this point early in the spring practice schedule for Florida State. Head coach Jimbo Fisher is in no real rush to name a starter and says the competition early on is far too close to make such a decision.
“You’ve got to come back and do it in the fall, but [spring] gives you an evaluation of what a guy is capable of, why he plays, what he can and can’t do,” Fisher said (via The Orlando Sentinel). “His demeanor, how he responds in a team atmosphere, how he leans, how he plays [under] pressure. We put a lot of stuff on them.”
With Sean Maguire (perhaps the likely starter in the end) out for the spring with a broken ankle, the competing candidates for the job in Tallahassee include redshirt freshman Deondre Francois, Malik Henry and J.J. Cosentino. Maguire has prior starting experience, which figures to help his case when healthy, but Fisher has put everyone on high alert this spring. For now, don’t expect players to be choosing sides.
“They’re completing passes, they’re making the throws,” Florida State safety Derwin James said. “The best man is going to win. They all look good though, and I like all of them.”
Of course, there is no reason to rush any decision on such a key position. Fisher is stressing the importance of competition this spring, and now is as good a time as any to give these quarterbacks a chance to prove themselves while Maguire sits on the sideline rehabbing his ankle. Look for that to continue this spring and take center stage in the upcoming spring game in Orlando, and then carry over to the summer.
