STEVEN CANNON/Associated Press
Florida State sophomore quarterback Deondre Francois suffered an apparent left leg injury in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
According to ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg, Francois couldn’t put any weight on his while being helped off the field.
Francois’ leg was put in an air cast, per Dan Wolken of USA Today.
Francois entered the 2017 campaign with a ton of expectations on him following a successful freshman year.
During his debut season in 2016, Francois threw for 3,350 yards, 20 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while rushing for 198 yards and five touchdowns.
Although he took a ton of punishment and absorbed big hits on a consistent basis, Francois displayed a great deal of toughness by playing in every game.
The Seminoles have been searching for the heir to former Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston since he made the leap to the NFL and was selected No. 1 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2015.
While Francois has had growing pains and is still developing his skill set, the talent is there for him to eventually become that type of quarterback.
Because of that, the possibility of losing him is a huge concern for Florida State, and it could impact the school’s aspirations for the 2017 season if he is forced to miss time.
If Francois lands on the shelf, FSU will likely turn to redshirt junior backup J.J. Cosentino, who saw limited action in his first two seasons.
In 2015 and 2016 combined, Cosentino completed seven of 19 passes for 46 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.
Expect a more conservative offense and plenty of defensive onus if Francois finds himself on the sidelines.
