Two-sport athlete John Rhys Plumlee entered the transfer portal on Monday, the official requirement to head elsewhere to finish his college career.
Plumlee, who played baseball and football at Ole Miss during his three seasons in Oxford, has two years of eligibility remaining, should he take advantage of the free season because of COVID-19 in 2020.
He was a freshman All-America selection while playing quarterback in 2019, becoming the sixth player in school history to rush for more than 1,000 yards.
The past two seasons, at wide receiver, Plumlee had 25 total catches for 280 yards. All 16 of his career touchdowns came as a freshman prior to the position switch, as Matt Corral took over the quarterback role full-time under Lane Kiffin.
On the baseball field, Plumlee started 20 games and played in 60 over two seasons as an outfielder, hitting .267 in 2021 for the Rebels who finished one game shy of the College World Series.
Plumlee hasn’t announced his next decision, but sources say he has interest from UCF, Indiana, South Alabama and Nebraska, among others.
That’s the nuts and bolts of the deal, as Plumlee can finish out his career elsewhere with more playing time on the football field and at wide receiver or back at quarterback where he’s suited for a running offense. He’s entering the portal too late to be baseball eligible this spring, but he also can find a landing spot that allows him to do both sports. He can help most baseball programs around the country.
Point being, Plumlee has options, including the one he just took to move on from Ole Miss — a place he’s become synonymous with since bursting on the scene following Corral’s injury in 2019, the face of a staff trying to save its tenure with the in-state quarterback who had tangibles and intangibles to run for wins and also potentially distract from the overall product on the field if victories didn’t come.
Plumlee has been a good soldier, switching positions in an effort for more playing time and to help the Rebels after Corral, offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby and Kiffin became the focal point of the offensive resurgence. He’s earned the right to explore all opportunities presented him.
And despite what it looks like on the surface, it’s not necessarily about playing time or a position change. Plumlee is seeking a situation of normalcy. He said on Monday he loves Ole Miss and the fans and is thankful for what was given to him, but the fact is his Saturdays had become more about pregame social media posts on Kiffin’s Twitter account than his snap count on the field.
Plumlee, for a variety or reasons, resonated with the fan base and the media during his career in Oxford, filling segments with his piano-playing and Pleasantville-like charm. He secured multiple NIL deals and remained a constant face of the program in Ole Miss promotionals despite having the fifth-most snaps at his position in 2021.
The fact is Plumlee and Ole Miss were no longer a good fit. His football playing time seemed to be near a ceiling, and the sideshow nature of his school-published marketability made for a less-than-perfect juxtaposition.
There was a time when both sides, Ole Miss and Plumlee, needed and gained from each other, but things change, and it’s time for this break.
The Rebels’ social and marketing efforts can refocus on players who are doing more on the field, and Plumlee can find what’s best for him.
The marriage was mutually beneficial, but separation at this point makes sense.
