ChantRant.com

"The Other Guys"

Credit: Melina Vastola

I've heard a lot of chatter over the past 24 hours or so about whether or not football "is back." I don’t know about you, but I have always thought of football as existing in a binary state; that is to say its either in season or its not. If its on my television and I can watch it live, football is back in my book. However, this definition doesnt sit well for many fans. Plenty of folks make the argument that unless it is a meaningful game with a meaningful outcome and a score that will be chiseled into the granite annuls of Football History forever and ever and ever, it is not "real" football. It is this logic that I take issue with. After all, more "friendly" soccer games are played every year than competitive ones, and soccer fans around the world actively watch and attend them with the fervency and attention given to competitive matches. I suppose it amounts to a vastly different cultural gap between the two sports, which have been cultivated and entrenched over decades.

Three's a crowd and thoughts on D'Vontrey Richardson

Credit: Melina Vastola

Who will wear this helmet after Winston leaves FSU?

There was a time when Drew Weatherford, Xavier Lee, Christian Ponder, and D'Vontrey Richardson were all on scholarship to play quarterback at Florida State.  So when Deondre Francois and Kai Locksley committed to Florida State this week, I immediately had flashbacks.  They now join De'Andre Johnson, giving FSU three quarterbacks in this class.  Nabbing three quarterbacks in a class isn't unheard of, but nabbing three four-star quarterbacks might be unheard of given the fact that they're all competing for one starting spot.

Next year, they'd join Sean Maguire, John Franklin III, JJ Cosentino as scholarship quarterbacks, with Maguire, in all likelihood, as the incumbent starter once Winston declares for the NFL.  Cosentino is the wildcard; we're all aware that he can throw a football over a building, but who cares about that?  Ken Dorsey could barely throw a ball 20 yards downfield, but he knew how to get the ball to his playmakers.  

So, is this all part of Jimbo Fisher's master plan or is it a case the unexpected happening (3 of the quarterbacks you offered take the offer)?  My guess is a mixture of both; Jimbo didn't necessarily expect to snag all 3, but wasn't going to say no to any of them and for good reason.  They are all good and they are all driven to succeed. They all also want the same thing: the chance at playing quarterback for Florida State and being coached by arguably the best quarterback coach in the nation.  When Winston is selected in the first round next year, that will make three consecutive quarterbacks from Florida State taken in the first round.  To my knowledge, that would be unprecedented for any college program and certainly a reflection of Jimbo Fisher's prowess.

The potential for a logajm is worrisome, however.  We are all aware how the logjam worked out the first time; Ponder emerged and was quite prolific at times.  But we were also on a rollercoaster at times, experiencing the respective highs and lows of Drew Weatherford, Xavier Lee, and D'Vontrey Richardson.  Undoubtedly, one of the quarterbacks will emerge as the clear favorite, but without a year of eligibility separating them, they'll each be breathing down each other's necks for a chance at playing time.  Something tells me that they are each aware of what they're signing up for, which is an indication that, once again, Jimbo Fisher isn't selling anything but the truth.  

But the tragedy of signing too many quarterbacks in one class, particularly good ones, is the potential for unfulfilled promise, much like the unfulfilled promise of D'Vontrey Richardson.  Richardson was one of the hottest recruits coming out of high school.  He had the makings of being the next Charlie Ward.  His potential was so great that Jimbo Fisher resisted, on several occassions, Richardson's overtures and requests to switch to safety. 

We recently sat down with D'Vontrey Richardson to hear about his time at Florida State.  Thankfully, he has no regrets--he readily admits that he was not mature enough to handle the task before him.  But if anything, his story is a lesson for future, high caliber players coming to Florida State.  Your history is just that, history.  Your willingness to work hard and apply yourself will determine whether you are great going forward.  D'Vontrey concedes that he wasn't quite ready to handle all that came with being the quarterback at Florida State and is hopefully a lesson we don't have to live through again.

It's August, which means we're now 29 days away.

Florida State begins the hunt for its next national championship in 29 days.  I don't need to ask if you're excited yet... you are.