When asked earlier this week whether Mikey Keene or John Rhys Plumlee will start at quarterback in Saturday’s conference showdown with Tulane, UCF coach Gus Malzahn s adamantly insisted, “There’s not going to be a [QB] controversy, I can tell you that.”
Gus, of course, is overstepping his bounds as a football coach.
You see, coaches get to decide who starts at quarterback, but they don’t get to decide if there’s a quarterback controversy.
That’s the job of us fans and media.
We are the ones who create and perpetuate controversies.
Just the very meaning of the word should tell you that, yes, there is a quarterback controversy at UCF.
In fact, the official dictionary definition of controversy tells us that it is, “A prolonged public dispute, debate, or contention; disputation concerning a matter of opinion.”
Example: There is a controversy surrounding whether 22nd-ranked UCF should start Keene or Plumlee at quarterback Saturday in a mega-game against No. 16 Tulane.
Plumlee, the Ole Miss transfer, won the job during fall drills and was spectacular at times and inconsistent at others in starting the first seven games. Keene, who started most of last season and led UCF to a bowl victory over the Florida Gators, did not play a snap during the first seven games, but came in and saved the season against 20th-ranked Cincinnati after Plumlee was knocked out of the game with a concussion. Keene then looked sharp again last week in his first start of the season – a road victory at Memphis.
When Malzahn was asked who will start against Tulane, he used the word “controversy” as if it has a negative connotation. I disagree. I think a quarterback controversy is only negative if you have a bad team that’s not winning games. If you have a good team with two good quarterbacks at your disposal then I think a quarterback controversy is a positive.
That’s why I believe Malzahn should use both quarterbacks as just another tactical way to confuse and discombobulate a Tulane defense that is ranked No. 1 in the conference and No. 16 nationally.
Look no further than one of the greatest college quarterback coaches in state history – the iconic Steve Spurrier, who never hesitated in using two quarterbacks during his illustrious career at UF. In fact, when Spurrier won his final SEC title in 2000, Jesse Palmer started and won four conference games while Rex Grossman started and won the other four.
“If you have two good quarterbacks and your starter’s not getting it done, I never thought it was a bad idea to put the other quarterback in the game and let him sling it around,” Spurrier says now.
In fact, it was 25 years ago this month when Spurrier pulled off the famous “Quarterback Shuffle” in which he rotated Doug Johnson and Noah Brindise on almost every play to upset No. 1-ranked Florida State in 1997.
Spurrier thought the combination of Brindise’s moxie and smarts combined with Johnson’s big arm and athleticism was the best way to keep Florida State’s ferocious, attacking defense on its heels.
Here’s what former Orlando Sentinel reporter Chris Harry wrote about the day Spurrier presented his shuffling quarterback idea to his staff:
“Assistant offensive coordinator and running backs coach Carl Franks turned to his boss and said, ‘If it works, it will just add to the list of the great things you accomplished,’ Franks told Spurrier.
‘I know,’ the head coach responded. ‘But if it doesn’t, they’ll call us a bunch of dummies.’ "
It worked. FSU’s defense, which came in allowing just 215.6 yards per game, never got a feel for what the Brindise-Johnson quarterback combination was going to do. The two combined to hit 18 of 34 passes for 318 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions.
Meanwhile, tailback Fred Taylor rushed for 162 yards and four touchdowns against the nation’s No. 1-rated run defense, and Florida’s offensive line surrendered no sacks to an FSU unit that came in with 67, more than any team in the country. All told, the Gators totaled 499 yards.
‘I thought it was the best idea in the world,’ offensive line coach Jimmy Ray Stephens said of the quarterback shuffle. ‘We didn’t have to signal anything in. We didn’t have to worry about (FSU) stealing our signals. We didn’t have to worry about the quarterbacks missing the signals.’
Said Johnson: ‘We kind of found a rhythm, and we were able to get off the field and listen to Coach say, ‘Hey, they’re in this coverage. You need to get to this.’ It was almost like having a timeout every play.’ "
I’m not saying Malzahn should shuffle his quarterbacks in and out after every play, but why not play Plumlee and Keene? Both quarterbacks have certain strengths that could help neutralize Tulane’s defense.
For instance: Since Keene seems to be a more poised passer, why not use him in situations such as 3rd-and-9 and then insert Plumlee – a better dual-threat quarterback – on 3rd-and-2 situations?
It’s always baffled me why coaches – when they have two quarterbacks who are fairly close in ability – don’t just play them both as the situation arises. When it becomes clear that one quarterback is having a bad game (see Plumlee’s three picks and a fumble in the blowout loss to East Carolina), why not put in the other quarterback in an attempt to create a spark?
When UCF takes the field against Tulane, everything will be on the line – the season, the chance to play for a conference championship and a potential bid to a major bowl game.
The Knights must use every weapon in their arsenal to win this game, and that includes a double-barrelled quarterback controversy that might just be the best thing that ever happened to their season.
