TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- As Travis Rudolph celebrated, Deondre Francois collected himself.
A blindside hit imprinted Francois into the Orlando turf, a reintroduction of sorts to the positional hazards he avoided as a scout-team quarterback. It was the hardest hit he had taken in nearly two years, and it sent Florida State’s new starting quarterback tumbling face first into the ground.
The first touchdown of Francois’ career? He heard about it from a teammate as he peeled him from the turf. Francois didn’t see it.
“That’s quarterback. He’s going to get hit,” Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher said.