Taggart names Blackman Seminoles starting quarter



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TALLAHASSEE, Florida – James Blackman has been the favorite from the start, and the quarterback has just won the Florida State base.

Coach Willie Taggart made the announcement Sunday in a statement posted on the school's website.

Blackman defeated Alex Hornibrook, a Wisconsin graduate, and Jordan Travis, of Louisville, transferred. The sophomore redshirt will begin for the Seminoles at the opening of the season against Boise State Saturday in Jacksonville.

It is not clear whether Hornibrook or Travis will be the replacement for FSU. The next opportunity for Taggart to meet the media is Monday.

Blackman started 13 games, including 12 as a freshman in 2017. He had 2,740 yards, 24 touchdowns and 12 interceptions at the FSU.

In his only debut in 2018, Blackman has amassed 421 yards, four touchdowns and one interception in a defeat on the road against NC State. Blackman became the favorite of the bets this winter, when Taggart fired Deondre Francois, who started 11 games last fall, after a message on social networks included the sound of a so-called dispute between the quarterback and his girlfriend.

After François was injured during the opening game in 2017, Blackman started as a freshman and improved in the final right while he was leading the Seminoles to a victory in Florida and a bowl victory against Southern Miss.

But François regained the position last fall and Taggart chose to stay with Francois for the remainder of the 2018 season. The Seminoles missed a bowl game for the first time since 1981.

Blackman thinks he understands what new offensive coordinator Kendal Briles wants to lead. Although Blackman had three offensive coordinators and various programs during his short career, he told reporters during the preparatory camp that he understood "what to do, when and how to do it" with respect to Briles -Tempo propagation offense.

And he learns the schema without a game book. In fact, everyone is.

This is a new ride for Florida State in 2019, something that Taggart has adopted – and the same goes for the players.

"It's a good thing not to have a game book because you have to make sure you write the pieces yourself," Blackman said. "And go study for yourself and create your own notebook, the guys really work to learn and understand your work."

Associated Press contributed to this report.

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