The Cardinal Countdown: 74 Days Until Kickoff

#74 Adonis Boone

Class: Freshman

Ht/Wt: 6-5/280

Position: Offensive Line

Hometown: Daytona Beach, FL

Twitter: @Ajb1_

Thoughts: Adonis has the distinct privilege of being the first true freshman on the countdown. If we’re being honest with each other, I enjoy John Mayer’s early music….but I guess that’s neither here nor there. If we continue being honest with each other though, the true freshman are always a bit of challenge for me on the countdown, especially the ones who don’t enroll early. Sure, I can watch some high school film, I can read how they’ve performed at camps, I can even read what the Cards staff likes about them, but until they strap on the pads and start taking or dishing out D-I hits, ya never know what you’re gonna get. Just like Tom Hanks told us in ‘Sleepless in Seattle’, or was it ‘You’ve got Mail’..? Who cares, they’re the same movie anyway.

Boone was a flip for the Cards staff back in September after committing to USF in July. Boone has nice size for a kid right out of high school and I’m sure the weight staff will get him rolling on a program this summer now that he’s on campus. Coach Summers highlighted Boone’s footwork back on NSD and showed multiple instances were Adonis recovered nicely from someone making an inside move on how he could recognize an outside stunt, etc. I’d be surprised if Boone gets any significant reps in 2018 with the way our line is currently sizing up but he looks like a solid piece in the group for future seasons. Listen to Summers, learn from McNeil and Becton, and be ready when your number gets called. Welcome to The Ville Adonis.

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Game 5: Florida State Seminoles

Key Player: James Blackman, Quarterback, Sophomore

While I often avoid the “easy answer” in these quick hitters today is the day where the easy answer and the correct answer happen to align. Blackman struggled at times in 2017, and some of his mistakes (2 INT, late fumble) were very beneficial in helping the Cards secure the 31-28 victory over the Noles last season. The difference in 2018 for Blackman is not only another year of experience but a new head coach in Willie Taggart who is known for his innovation on the offensive side the ball that not only includes speed but also some “trickeration” and misdirection. Blackman has the talent to be a really good quarterback and I think Taggert pulls some more of that out of him early this year. Blackman will undoubtedly be a much larger threat to the Cards defense in 2018 for the reasons mentioned above, but on the flipside the Cards will be FSU’s first major road opponent (sorry Syracuse) of the season and they’ll be walking into what we assume will be a rowdy PJCS with the team presumably sitting no worse than 3-1 looking to make a statement nationally.

Sweet Tweet:

Adonis has that old man vibe about him, like he’s gonna grill you up some incredible steaks in some closed toed sandals talking about “you kids ain’t got no clue about that Earth, Wind and Fire, now. That was some REAL soulful stuff. Ask ya mom, she know.”