September 2nd was a heartbreaking day for Florida State fans everywhere. It was the first football game of the 2017 season and everyone was ready and prepared, hoping for FSU destroying Alabama in the first game. The Seminoles were beginning to become a bit discouraged as they watched their team fall behind at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. However, in the fourth quarter, the unexpected happened: our school’s beloved quarterback Deondre Francois suffered from an extremely serious knee injury right before our eyes. It was most definitely a sight that no one wanted to see. Without our star quarterback, Seminoles fans everywhere were left wondering what this will mean for not only him but also for the rest of our football season.
Courtesy: Orlando Sentinel
Within the last few minutes of the game, Alabama’s defensive back Ronnie Harrison tackled Francois from behind. This hit caused Francois’ left knee to slam directly into the field, which led to his immediate and heartbreaking injury. Fans, coaches, teammates, and many other viewers watched in complete and total awe as he was carried off of the field. People were filled with instant feelings of shock, sympathy, and sadness.
As if the confirmation of his patella tendon injury was not enough, even worse news followed. It was also established that Francois’ injury would cause him to be unable to play for the rest of the season. This was an announcement that no Seminole was ready to hear. This left people wondering a plethora of things. What will Florida State do now? How will our team react to this news? What does this mean for the rest of this season? While there are still many unanswered questions, there is hope that Florida State’s new starting quarterback James Blackman will do his best to help carry the team and not let us down. It is truly vital for the team and coaches to try and work together to make the best of this situation and continue on as strong as possible throughout the season.
Despite the devastating news that occurred during the season opener, people are making it clear that we must all be hopeful of the future. We must remember that night was not about the loss of a game. This was about the loss of our quarterback for this season. Francois’ teammates have been trying extremely hard to be understanding and optimistic. “To look back and see your quarterback holding his knee, it’s definitely frightening, but we know Deondre is a tough, persevering guy,” said FSU center Alec Eberle. Inspiring words also came from FSU safety Derwin James, “Sad, man — it’s just sad. I feel like as a team all we’ve got to do is just stay together and we’ll be where we want to be.” James is not wrong. This is an extremely trying and emotional time for Francois, so it is important for people to come together as a Seminole family and be as supportive as possible.