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On Sunday, UCF head coach Gus Malzahn announced John Rhys Plumlee won the starting quarterback job, edging out Mikey Keene. Following the first practice since the decision, Malzahn talked about his decision to reporters.
Opening statement:
"Just had our Tuesday practice, preparing for our first game. We went full scouts the whole practice for the first time. Felt good to get in a routine. We named John Rhys Plumlee our starting quarterback a couple days ago. It was an extremely close race. I think everybody knows that. But he's out starting quarterback. Got a lot of confidence in him. He's got good command of the offense. He can create when things break down. Mikey did a super job. I told him, 'Hey, you're probably going to have to help us win this season.' We've got two guys we can win with. Both of them will be ready. We're real happy for John Rhys. Excited to see what he can do."
Was there a moment when John Rhys maybe edged ahead? Is there something that sticks out?
"No. Really probably until three or four days ago it was kind of neck and neck. One time one guy did better, the next time the other guy. I just kind of stepped back and watched every scrimmage, predicting if both of them were live, what would happen with that. That's how we came to the conclusion."
How important was it to name the starting quarterback?
"I think it was real important. Our team needed that. Our offense needed that. I've tried playing two quarterbacks before. Not a fan of that. That's why we named a starter. Like I said, it wasn't easy. I think everybody knows that. Mikey Keene is a winner. He's a winner with a capital W. Like I said, there's a good chance he'll help our team this year and I know he'll be ready if called upon."
You said you were trying to avoid a two-quarterback system. Is there a chance Mikey could come in as a change of pace?
"Right now, we're going into this first game with John Rhys as our quarterback. We'll see how the season goes. We're ready to see what he can do."
How is John Rhys' command in the huddle and his chemistry with the receivers?
"I think he's got really good relationships with the guys since he's been here. He's that way. Both those quarterbacks have command of the offense. They have great relationships with their players. John Rhys is no different. He's been here since the spring. I think that makes a big difference too. He knows the guys extremely well. They know him extremely well."
How would you describe how Mikey received the news?
"Mikey is a champ. I know he was disappointed. But he's a champion. He's a team guy. He'll be ready if called upon. He practiced really good today. You know what you're going to get with him."
For your system, how important is it to have a quarterback that can run, not just to evade the pocket but also the potential to lead the team?
"I think the big thing is when things break down, John Rhys can keep things alive. He can create and everything that goes with that. He hasn't played quarterback in a couple years as far as on the field, but you see him get better every single practice. The scrimmages. He's got good command of what's going on. He can make all the throws. I think everybody knows he can run extremely well."
How did the team respond to the news?
"They're happy for John Rhys. They're going to get behind him. At the same time, they're going to pat Mikey on the back. They've got a lot of respect for him too."
Now that the starting quarterback has been named, what other questions do you have for the offense?
"Any time you name a starting quarterback, when you go out to practice it feels a little bit different. You have a starter and they start rallying around the guy. The uncertainty is taken away and you can get things going. You saw that today in practice. I expect it will only continue to get better and better each practice. Guys sticking around after practice working on specific things on their own. That's what happens when you name a starter. It was really good today. I think the offense had a really good practice today."
The experience John Rhys comes in with, being in the SEC, his maturity level, how far did that go?
"You've got to take all of it. Any time there's a close race, you have to take everything that goes with it. Who you feel like gives you the best chance of winning. The fact John Rhys has started in the SEC against some of the best defenses in college football and was extremely successful. Really what I tried to do is focus on since he's been here. He's got experience. Mikey does too. We're in good hands.
"I will say this too about Thomas Castellanos. Sometimes he gets kind of lost in the shuffle. He's a big-time quarterback in his own right. We're going to keep developing him. He's got a bright future."
How is Timmy McClain getting acclimated to being the scout team quarterback?
"Our team is happy he's here. They welcomed him with open arms. He took the scout team today. I'm not for sure how it went over there but I suspect it went well. He was real excited about it. He's got some receivers. He's got Bowman over there with him too. I think we're going to have a really talented scout team. It will be nothing but good for our defense."
I know you've been through a lot of these quarterback battles. Where does this one rank? Was this as close as you can recall? Any other battles come to mind?
"Any time you've coached for 32 years, there's going to be a handful that are extremely tough. That's the good thing for your team. It's an extremely hard thing. You just want to make sure you're right and you do everything you can to do that. This was an extremely close race. I told both of them when I told them what we were doing. They knew that. Our team knew that. I think that's a good thing for our team going into this season. Very few teams in college football have two guys they can win with. I really think you throw Thomas in there. You can say a third. We've only got three quarterbacks eligible on scholarship. That's a little bit scary too. We've got three real guys."
You had said several times during camp that you thought it would be obvious to the players who the starter was.
"I was hoping it would be. That's what you always hope."
Did it turn out like that?
"Obviously it took this long to do it. Any time you can't let your quarterbacks go live, it makes it a lot tougher. I remember back in 2013. We had four quarterbacks and they were very equal until the last two weeks. I let them go live for two series a piece. After the first series, everybody in the building including the managers knew Nick Marshall was our starting quarterback. I'm not using that for anything other than it's hard to do that. That's why I said I had to predict watching scrimmages what would happen. I did the same thing with Cam Newton. He won the job after spring. I'd sit there and wonder, did they tackle him? Probably not. Of course the first game everybody figured out nobody could tackle him. You've got to use your wisdom and your experience as a coach. That's how we got to this point."
When you're saying you're predicting ahead, you see John Rhys has more of an ability to make a play than perhaps Mikey?
"John Rhys, everybody knows, go back to when he was a true freshman against the National Champion (LSU). He rushed for 205 yards. He's dynamic with his legs. I think everybody knows that."
Do you feel more calm that the decision has been made?
"It's kind of the next step. It's a step for our team, naming a starting quarterback. There will be challenges throughout the year whether it's injuries, opponents or whatever it is. Facing adversity, overcoming adversity. That's what this season is about. From a head coach's standpoint, you just keep building and preparing your team for the system."
Speaking of injuries, is Amari Johnson getting better?
"Amari is going to be out for a little bit. He's a big factor. Y'all know that. He's one of our best special teams players. One of our better receivers. We'll see a timetable. I'll try to keep you updated. He will be back. That's the one, probably the biggest right now."
What's it like flipping it around and playing against a quarterback like John Rhys? How difficult is it to prepare?
"It changes. You've got a game plan. You've got to game plan differently if a guy is a running threat. A one-plus runner compared to a regular offense. In college football there's a lot of dual-threat guys. Defensive coordinators are used to dealing with that."
In this day and age, players coming and going, do you worry about losing a quarterback this year to the transfer portal?
"It's the new age of college. You've got to be aware of every scenario. You've got to think ahead. It's just the new age of college football."
Do you think the quarterback position requires a dual-threat to be next level?
"I don't know. You look at the teams and there's different offenses that are successful. I know when you get to the highest level you've got to have a guy when things break down who is able to make a play and create. You play the top defense in college football, I don't care how good your protection is, things are going to break down so you need a guy that can extend plays. You look at the highest level of football, there's different quarterbacks that have been successful. There haven't all been dual threat. Tom Brady and all that. It's a coach's philosophy and what he wants to do. I think that's probably it more than anything."
How does having John Rhys as your starter change your running game?
"It doesn't matter whoever you pick as your quarterback, you build around their strengths. I've always done that. I'm a former high school coach. That's how I survived and moved up. Whoever our starting quarterback was, we built around his strengths. We'll do that with him. I will tell you this: He can throw it. He can flat out throw it. But he can make plays with his feet too. It's going to be a matter of getting experience. He hasn't played against opponents in two years. He's been playing wide receiver the last year and a half before he got here. I expect him to be very successful."
Can you talk about the growth and maturity you've seen from Johnny Richardson?
"From last year to this time this year, he's turned into one of our leaders. Last year he was obviously dynamic with the ball in his hands. He got a little excited a couple games early and tackled himself. I don't expect him to do that anymore. He has gotten to be a well-rounded running back. He can protect. He understands the schemes up front. He does the little things. Playing without the ball extremely well. He's dynamic. We're going to get the ball in his hands... He can break tackles. He's quick. He's a lot more confident than he was last year."
John Rhys hasn't played a game in a couple years at quarterback. Have you noticed him adjusting to the game speed?
"I think so. Like I said, we did go live one time this spring. He was able to make some plays with his feet and show what he can do. It's like anything else, it's getting comfortable. I think every time he goes out he's more and more comfortable."
How many guys are still in the race for the punt return job?
"We had four out there today. The goal is by the end of the week to determine who our starter is. Amari, we won't have him the first game. But we've got some good options. I will tell you that. The first game, it's whoever we trust to catch the ball. That's the main thing. We've been working hard with that. Our punt returner, our punter and kicker, we'll have all that resolved by the end of the week."
On bonding with Timmy McClain:
"He just got here on Saturday. We introduced him to the team. He watched practice. Sunday we did a walk-through. I've known about him. There's nothing like being on the other sideline and he's the other quarterback and took it down to the end. He's electric. He can do a lot of different things. What stood out to me is his competitiveness and his competitive fire, how his team responded to him. He's a young guy. He's intelligent. He's from one of the local high school. That fits with us. We've got to keep our best players home and he's another top guy. My experience is great players, especially local, they want to play together and dream together, do something special. He's a really good player in his own right. He's going to compete for the job. But big picture, he's also going to help us recruit. It all works together. He's a fine young man and we're glad we have him."
How did your two transfer receivers do in camp? Javon Baker and Kobe Hudson. What are you expectations for them?
"Kobe was here in the spring. He's played for me before. He's got an understanding. Javon is a real talented guy. He's still learning the offense. Still learning the little things that go with it, like the tempo."
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