Is the Ole Miss Quarterback Competition Over With Plumlee's Absence?

Subliminal writing on the wall has made it seem for quite some time that Matt Corral was going to win the Ole Miss starting quarterback job. Now these trends seem less subliminal – it's time to sharpie Matt Corral in as the Ole Miss QB1.

Subliminal writing on the wall has made it seem for quite some time that Matt Corral was going to win the Ole Miss starting quarterback job. 

Now these trends seem less subliminal – it's time to sharpie Matt Corral in as the Ole Miss QB1. 

John Rhys Plumlee, who started the back half of 2019 and eventually completely took the job over from Matt Corral last season, missed this past weekend's scrimmage. Coach Lane Kiffin would not disclose whether Plumlee was missing time due to injury, COVID-19 or another issue, but the quarterback was one of 27 Rebels to miss that scrimmage. 

Rumor has it that Plumlee was simply out of the one scrimmage with a hamstring tweak, but for a guy seemingly trailing in the competition, you need all the reps you can get – not just get impress the coaches, but simply to get better. 

(Read More: Defense controls this weekend's scrimmage as numerous players sit out)

Matt Corral got every first team rep on the weekend, and will continue doing so until Plumlee's return, Kiffin explained on Tuesday. With just over two weeks to go until the season opener against Florida on Sept. 26, you don't want to say it's impossible for Plumlee to come back and win the job, but it sure seems incredibly unlikely to this point.

Corral, the redshirt sophomore, started the first four games of last season and appeared in six more off the bench while splitting time with Plumlee. He finished the year completing 59.0-percent of his passes for six touchdowns and three interceptions. 

While not as quick to run as Plumlee, who's known for his special brand of quarterback athleticism, Corral has regularly clocked in at Ole Miss camp at over 20mph, occasionally even outpacing Plumlee in the speed department. 

@Lakevias1 with the fastest top speed today at practice #SpeedFreaks pic.twitter.com/toQcseyaFc

— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) September 2, 2020

What's different this year for Corral? His teammates think he's seeing the field better. But Corral credits it all to an increased work ethic, a bit of self-evaluation from struggles the prior season.

"It wasn't working and I wasn't successful last year. Well, why?" Corral said at the start of training camp. "That's what I asked myself. Why wasn't this working and what did I do wrong? It all came down to my work ethic.

"I thought I was working hard last year. I thought I was. Doing what we had to do, we were supposed to do the extra stuff. We're the quarterbacks, we're supposed to do the extra stuff."

It's unlikely that Kiffin and Co. will name a starter before we show up to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on the morning of the 26th, simply because they don't have to. They'll take even the smallest competitive advantage in the unknown. But it seems like the job is all Corral at this point. 

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