Tag: john rhys plumlee

Orlando Sentinel’s Matt Murschel expects UCF to attack Oklahoma on the ground

UCF Knights started the season out well but have faltered as of late. What can Oklahoma expect come Saturday?

The Oklahoma Sooners will take on the [autotag]UCF Knights[/autotag] this Saturday in Norman at 11:00 a.m. CT. The Knights started the season off strong, going 3-0 but have since lost three straight games.

The offense has not been a problem. They rank No. 4 in total offense, but defensively they rank No. 79 and No. 119 in rush defense. They’ve allowed 43.7 points per game in their last three after allowing 12 ppg in their first three.

Orlando Sentinel’s Matt Murschel joined my podcast, Eat. Sleep. Bedlam., and talked about some changes that could be coming on the defensive side of the ball this weekend. “They’ve taken a lot of heat over the last three or four weeks but have tried to do anything they can,” Murschel said. “I know Gus (Malzahn) talked about they are going to change up some personnel, change up some schemes on the defensive front.”

More big news for the Knights is their star quarterback, [autotag]John Rhys Plumlee[/autotag], seems to be full-go this week. He was injured in Week 2 and tried to play vs. the [autotag]Kansas Jayhawks[/autotag] in their previous game but left the game due to lingering issues with his knee.

Having him back in the lineup only helps a Malzahn-led offense, as he loves to start things with running the football. “They like to start out with the rushing game,” Murschel said. “That’s something that Gus Malzahn has really put a focus on is running the football. They have two solid running backs in R.J. Harvey and Johnny Richardson, and they kind of set the table.”

Murschel also mentioned how the Knights like to play fast, although he mentioned it’s not as fast as they used to be under [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag]. The Sooners defense will have its work cut out for them.

If they slack off even a little bit, this game could end up being a shootout. The Sooners defense has been able to control the run so far this season, and they need another strong performance come Saturday.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Knights to know ahead of UCF vs. Oklahoma Sooners

As the Oklahoma Sooners get set to take on UCF, here are six Knights to know ahead of the week 8 contest.

Fresh off its bye week, Oklahoma is readying for the remainder of the season. After six games, it sits atop the Big 12 standings with a 3-0 conference record.

The Sooners have had time to put their win over Texas behind them and come down from that emotional roller coaster. Brent Venables has done a good job keeping this team focused on what comes next. He will have to do it again as Oklahoma prepares to host the UCF Knights on Saturday.

UCF is the second of three Big 12 newcomers the Sooners will see this season. Oklahoma knocked off Cincinnati in its Big 12 opener and will face BYU on the second to last weekend of the regular season.

The Sooners and Knights have never played. So Saturday’s showdown will be a new experience for both. UCF also enters the game off its bye week. Before that, it was on the wrong end of a blowout by the Kansas Jayhawks, 51-22. Kansas ran for 399 yards in the win.

As the Oklahoma Sooners get ready to play the UCF Knights, here are five players to know ahead of Saturday’s contest.

2023 Season Preview: Oklahoma faces new challenge in UCF Knights

The Oklahoma Sooners and the UCF Knights face off for the first time in their respective history as Big 12 foes.

In our next opponent preview, we take a look at a sneaky-good team, the UCF Knights.

Oklahoma and UCF have never faced each other on the gridiron. This year in Norman, they’ll break the ice in the Sooners’ final year in the Big 12 and the Knights’ inaugural season as a Power Five team.

UCF is an interesting team. They bring back a lot of their team that just went 9-5 and played for a conference championship.

They were also ranked the last five weeks of the season before ending the year on a two-game losing streak, which included their Military Bowl loss to Drake May and the Duke Blue Devils.

According to ESPN (ESPN+), UCF returns 66 percent of its production, which ranks 51st in the nation. They return 62 percent of their offense which ranks 78th in the nation, and 69 percent of their defense, which ranks 43rd.

Their offense finished 16th in the country last season. Gus Malzahn knows how to coach offense, so it should be good again. Defensively they finished 69th in the country, but, as we said, they return a lot which should help them as they make the transition to the Big 12.

Starting quarterback John Rhys Plumlee returns after throwing for 2,586 yards, 14 touchdowns, and eight interceptions last season while completing 63 percent of his passes. He also ran for 862 yards, which led the team, and 11 touchdowns.

They lost their second-leading rusher Isaiah Bowser, but he only finished with three yards more than R.J. Harvey, who does return. Harvey averaged more yards per carry as well, but Bowser had more touchdowns.

They lost wide receiver Ryan O’Keefe, who was second in receiving yards last year. However, they bring back leading receiver Javon Baker, who caught 56 passes for 796 yards and five touchdowns. Wide receiver Kobe Hudson, who led the Knights with seven touchdown receptions, also returns.

If you watched any games of a Malzahn offense, you know how much they love the read option. If you watched Oklahoma play last year, you know how much the Sooners struggled with a running quarterback.

This is a matchup nightmare for the Sooners. It’s why you better hope this defense is much improved, or this is a game they could lose.

The one thing they have going for them is the Sooners will be coming off a bye week. So, they’ll have two weeks to prepare.

Defensively, the Knights return leading tackler Jason Johnson, who had 126 tackles last season. They also bring back four of the top five players in tackles from a year ago.

The Knights also lost only one of the players in the top five in sacks as well. Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste now playing for the Ole Miss Rebels.

UCF returns a lot of production and experience, but they are entering a new conference. The Knights will be one of the most intriguing teams to watch this season. They are a team that could make a lot of noise in the conference. They are also a team that the new conference could be too much for them.

Because of everything Malzahn and that offense brings, this one is going to be a shootout, in my opinion. It’s also one of those games the Sooners would not have won last year.

Score Prediction: 38-35 Oklahoma

Predicted Record: 6-1

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

‘Looks a lot like me’: UCF QB John Rhys Plumlee models himself after former Saints QB

‘Looks a lot like me’: UCF quarterback John Rhys Plumlee models himself after a legendary former Saints signal-caller | @crissy_froyd

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UCF quarterback John Rhys Plumlee didn’t see much time at Ole Miss at the designated position, but he’s caught attention for playing just that at UCF and could be a quick riser. Plumlee finished out the 2022 season with a 63% completion rate, 2,586 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also carried the ball 159 times for 862 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The athletic quarterback is one of the most electric to watch at the position in the nation happens to model himself after one of the best former New Orleans Saints signal-callers, and one of the best to ever take a football field in history.

That’s Drew Brees.

“You like to take a couple different things from every guy, I really like the way that (Patrick) Mahomes plays and (Josh) Allen too, their ability to throw the ball. Aaron Rodgers has unbelievable arm talent. But I really grew up watching Brett Favre, Drew Brees, those guys,” Plumlee said when I asked him about who he models himself after when I met with him at the Manning Passing Academy.

Plumlee continued, “Drew (Brees) looks a lot like me. Maybe not 6-foot-4, but taking every throw and being really accurate as well. Favre being from Mississippi, I’m a Mississippi guy and I love watching him and the grit he had playing and the way that he came about and played the game was fun to watch for me.”

How he continues to progress as a one-of-a-kind player will be something to watch, and he’s looking forward to putting his passing ability on display in a big way this year.

“Last year, I was so beat up and it affected us unbelievably,” Plumlee reflected. “I ran the ball a ton and I’m looking forward to this year, personal goal-wise, to really stretch the field vertically and I think people know what I can do with my feet. But I really want to put on display what I can do with my arm.”

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Who does Ole Miss turn to if Matt Corral isn’t available against LSU?

Ole Miss has a couple of options at quarterback outside of Corral, but do they benefit the Rebels?

Ole Miss’ biggest concern heading into their matchup with LSU this weekend is if Matt Corral will be at the helm for Lane Kiffin’s offense.

Corral sustained an injury following a 426 total yard performance against Tennessee in Knoxville last weekend. 195 of those yards came on the ground, one of the main reasons why Kiffin was so concerned with his quarterback’s health heading into the LSU game was because of the beating Corral took running the ball.

If Ole Miss elects to play Corral, LSU may not need to play as much contain or spy as often as they would have anticipated if Corral isn’t able to extend plays with his legs as he has so far this season. It may be in LSU’s best interest to test out things against Ole Miss’ defense early if they can, put seven points on the board, and then drop back into coverage and see what Corral has to offer.

If Corral doesn’t play, Ole Miss has two options.

They either play Kinkead Dent, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound backup quarterback out of Yazoo City, Mississippi, or they play John Rhys Plumlee, who moved to receiver after Corral took over the starting job last season.

Dent has completed two of his four passes this season for seven yards. He has 28 rushing yards on two attempts this season (a 26-yard run against Tulane and a 2 yard run against Austin Peay).

Plumlee has amassed 2,305 yards and 17 touchdowns from scrimmage in his three years at Ole Miss, throwing for 981 yards, catching 11 passes for 127 yards, and rushing for 1,197 yards. LSU fans know Plumlee well after he ran for 212 yards and four touchdowns against them back in 2019.

What Ole Miss could do is run the two-quarterback system they had back in 2019 against LSU, bringing Corral in sparingly and letting Plumlee operate an offense that will primarily focus on the ground attack. Corral threw for 89 yards and a touchdown in that 2019 LSU loss.

Either way, Ole Miss faces an LSU team that is coming off of an unexpected win over Florida. While talent, records, and statistics may indicate that this is going to be an Ole Miss win, I also believe that LSU’s ceiling is hard to gauge now that Orgeron’s firing is out of the way. Corral potentially not being in the picture for this game should give LSU fans hope for this weekend.

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Kyle Pitts is one of the most exciting players in the SEC, per PFF

With SEC football set to get underway in less than 24 hours, members of the media have been giving their opinions on matchups and players.

With Southeastern Conference football set to get underway in less than 24 hours, members of the media have been giving their opinions on various matchups and players who will be featured this Saturday.

PFF’s lead draft analyst Mike Renner released his list of the most exciting players in the SEC on Friday via Twitter, with one prominent Florida Gator at the head of the pack. Junior tight end Kyle Pitts, who has earned quite a few lofty expectations coming into his 2020 campaign, was the first mention on Renner’s roster of five players from the around the league — all of whom were underclassmen.

Also mentioned was the Alabama Crimson Tide’s junior wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, Ole Miss Rebels’ sophomore quarterback John Rhys-Plumlee, LSU Tigers’ sophomore quarterback Derek Stingley Jr. and Missouri Tigers’ junior linebacker Nick Bolton.

Two of the names mentioned will be facing off against each other on Saturday when Pitts’ Gators travel to Oxford, Miss., to take on Rhys-Plumlee and his Rebels, kicking off both schools’ 10-game, SEC-only schedules.

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Ranking the top SEC quarterbacks for 2020

The 2019 college football season has officially come and gone, and so are the SEC’s two-most polarizing quarterbacks, Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa and LSU’s Joe Burrow. As we continue to work our way through the offseason, Roll Tide Wire decided to take …

The 2019 college football season has officially come and gone, and so are the SEC’s two-most polarizing quarterbacks, Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa and LSU’s Joe Burrow.

As we continue to work our way through the offseason, Roll Tide Wire decided to take an early look at the top quarterback options returning (or arriving) to the SEC for the 2020 season, and then rank them.

This list can, and almost certainly will, change prior to the start of next season, but it’s a fun way to pass the time during a slow offseason.

14. Danny Clark, Vanderbilt

Danny Clark
Redshirt freshman quarterback Danny Clark makes a throw during practice Tuesday afternoon in Lexington. Uk Football Practice August 21 2018

There will be a quarterback battle in Nashville, but all signs point to former Kentucky backup Danny Clark, who was at Copiah-Lincoln Community College in 2019, being the guy.

The 6-foot-4, 230-pound junior will have two years of eligibility left, but it remains to be seen if he’ll be able to hold off a trio of other quarterbacks, including dual-threat Michael Wright out of Atlanta (Ga.), for the starting job.

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Potential Georgia football target declares for NFL Draft, limiting Bulldogs’ options

A potential Georgia football target has declared for the NFL Draft, limiting the Dawgs’ options on transfer quarterbacks

With junior Georgia football quarterback Jake Fromm’s NFL Draft decision looming, the Bulldogs must prepare as if the Warner Robbins native is leaving the Classic City.

Though nothing is official on Fromm’s departure as of now, offensive coordinator James Coley will navigate the waters of the Class of 2020 and the transfer market.

Tuesday, we told you the Bulldogs’ best option to replace Fromm next season was through the portal, with Jordan Love, D’Eriq King and possibly even John Rhys Plumlee.

Now, it appears one of those top three options is already off the board, with Love announcing he will declare for the draft instead of transferring from of Utah State.

What does this mean? Well, for starters, the Bulldogs have already lost another transfer option on the market, now that Joey Gatewood has chosen Kentucky and Love the NFL Draft.

It appears D’Eriq King is the only realistic option currently in the portal for Georgia, but that could change in the coming weeks. Hiring former Ole Miss head coach Matt Luke in Athens can only increase the chances of landing Plumlee, but as of now, he’s currently not in the portal.

It’s probably still a long shot, but Plumlee leaving Oxford for a full-ride offer at Georgia with his former coach isn’t too far fetched of an idea. Factor in that each school’s baseball programs are pretty comparable and it is easy to see why this move would make sense.

The Bulldogs finished No. 2 in the SEC regular season standings, while the Rebels were the conference runner-up in Hoover. Each team made the NCAA Tournament and hosted a regional, so it’s not like one of these teams is far superior to the other on the diamond. In addition, the Dawgs could really use another bat in their lineup, to go along with all of the solid pitching in Athens.

Plumlee batted .395 overall during his high school baseball career, going .455 during junior year and .411 in senior year, though he only hit 7 home runs. The speedy two-sport athlete may not be a power hitter, but he sure is good at getting on base.

So yeah, that’s where we’re currently at. King is officially up for grabs on the transfer market, while Plumlee could enter the portal and wind up in Athens, where he was committed until the last minute this past year.

Remember, we are not saying the Ole Miss quarterback will enter the portal or possibly even consider it, but if he does, we like the Dawgs’ chances. Of course, the Plumlee stuff is all just speculation.

 

Could Georgia football be in the market for a transfer quarterback?

Could the Georgia Bulldogs be in the market for a transfer quarterback?

The Georgia Bulldogs are off to the Allstate Sugar Bowl, after finishing the season 11-2, with an SEC Championship Game loss to LSU.

Though junior quarterback Jake Fromm could very well return for his senior year in Athens, there’s always the possibility he leaves for the NFL and does not come back.

What would that mean for the Bulldogs? Well, Georgia currently has 2020 four-star quarterback Carson Beck committed to join the program, with 2019 four-star dual-threat Dwan Mathis sliding under the radar after surgery to remove a brain cyst this offseason. In addition, the Dawgs gained another transfer in Nevada freshman Austin Kirksey, who will walk on next year in Athens.

That’s three talented quarterbacks with little college football experience and still a lot of question marks. Say Fromm leaves and that is the quarterback room you are walking into. The Dawgs would essentially have to land a transfer off the market, which is what we’ll now discuss.

Joey Gatewood is already off the board and bound for Kentucky, so here are Georgia’s top options as of now.

  • Utah State – Jordan Love
  • Houston – D’Eriq King
  • Ole Miss- John Rhys Plumlee* (Not currently in the portal)

While Plumlee has yet to enter the portal, Georgia bringing in former Ole Miss coach Matt Luke will certainly strengthen the depth of rumors on Plumlee to Athens.

Man, would that be nice.

As of right now, Fromm has yet to declare for the NFL Draft or announce his intentions of staying in Athens, but he is being graded as a second-night draft pick by multiple highly respected analysts.

Would that be good enough for the three-time SEC East Champion, who has led the Dawgs to three-straight New Year’s Six Bowls? Time will tell.

The rumor mill will keep on going and the message boards rumbling, but Fromm is still the Bulldogs’ quarterback. Of course, things could all change as soon as tomorrow, but for now, this is where Georgia stands.

To add more traction to the possibility of gaining a transfer quarterback, Sports Illustrated’s Brooks Austin is reporting that King and Love recently followed Georgia offensive coordinator James Coley on Twitter.

Remember, nothing is confirmed at the moment, but there’s a pretty good chance the Dawgs land one of the three guys listed above if Fromm were to leave for the draft.

Make sure to follow along with UGA Wire throughout the week as we update you on the latest in everything Georgia football.

Ole Miss at Mississippi State odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s Ole Miss Rebels at Mississippi State Bulldogs sports betting odds and lines, with college football picks and best bets

The Ole Miss Rebels (4-7, 2-5 SEC West) lock horns with the Mississippi State Bulldogs (5-6, 2-5) Thanksgiving night at 7:30 p.m. ET in the annual Egg Bowl in Starkville, Miss. We analyze the Ole Miss-Mississippi State odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Ole Miss at Mississippi State: Three things you need to know

1. This is the only bowl the Rebels will be participating in this season, but they’d like to make it so the same applies to their rivals. A win by Ole Miss would deal Mississippi State its seventh loss and prevent a postseason berth.

2. Ole Miss might have a losing record, but it’s a darling at the betting window with a 6-1 against the spread mark across the past seven. Mississippi State is 2-5 ATS in the past seven overall, and 1-5 ATS in the past six inside the SEC.

3. The Egg Bowl has been defensive lately, cashing the Under in five of the past six meetings, and each of the past four in Starkville.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!

Ole Miss at Mississippi State: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 3:45 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Ole Miss 29, Mississippi State 27

Moneyline (ML)

Go lightly on OLE MISS (+110) in this rivalry game, as the Rebels will be motivated to keep Mississippi State (-134) nailed to the couch for the postseason. The Rebels rolled up huge yardage on the ground last week against LSU. QB John Rhys Plumlee was a one-man wrecking crew, going for 212 yards and four touchdowns on the ground, and RB Jerrion Ealy gobbled up 141 yards on 13 totes. Hotty Toddy!

New to sports betting? Every $1 wagered that Ole Miss will win outright will return a profit of $1.10.

Against the Spread (ATS)

There isn’t a lot of sense taking Ole Miss (+2.5, -110), unless you feel it’s going to lose by one or two points. The Rebels are a much better value on the moneyline. If you feel Mississippi State (-2.5, -110) will extend its school-record streak to 10 consecutive seasons with a bowl appearance, then get out your cowbell and back the Bulldogs. I will not be joining you.

Over/Under (O/U)

PASS. The projection of 58.5 is a good total. My lean would be to go Under based on the trends in this series, and the fact we just haven’t seen a lot of consistent football out of these two sides; however, I can easily see the game going Over, as Plumlee and the Rebels’ rushing attack raised eyebrows gouging potential playoff-bound LSU for huge chunks of real estate a week ago.

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

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