The JRP Legacy
One of the most intricate fanbase relationships we have ever witnessed may belong to John Rhys Plumlee. Either UCF Knights supporters adore him or they have harsh criticisms for him. There’s no middle ground.
To be honest, I was guilty of joining the group of people who were very critical at times. This was mostly in the previous season, when I had a lot of relationship ups and downs. However, I saw myself as a member of the JRP Fan Club during the entire season. And this year, I think the club has expanded significantly. Even though the ferociously critical mob persisted throughout the football season, I believe it shrank and Plumlee won over a lot of detractors. However, if you log into social media right now, you’ll notice that a few people are condemning him.
Why am I bringing this up here? since it relates to the topic I wish to discuss. JRP declared that he will seek an NFL career and will not be playing baseball for UCF in the spring. This Saturday at the Hula Bowl in FBC Mortgage Stadium will be his last game wearing a UCF uniform.
Now that we can formally declare that his Knighthood is over, JRP has been on my mind a lot. Regarding his stay here and all of his accomplishments.
All of this began in November following the Houston game. I had the opportunity to ask JRP a question during the postgame press conference when he was at the podium. JRP and I have spoken before. All those chats were about baseball, not football, because I had joined the Banneret in January, after the football season had concluded, but I was used to probing him. Nevertheless, his response has stayed with me.
I wanted to pose a question to JRP that addressed the idea of legacy on Senior Day, which honors an athlete’s tenure with a program. I asked him what he wanted UCF supporters to remember about his time on the football team and what he would cherish most about it.
I anticipated a succinct response. a few phrases that express gratitude or happy memories, or similar topics. That’s not at all what I got from him in the end. It was serious, introspective, and lengthy. He shared a wealth of information on his love for UCF, his off-field activities, his relationships in the locker room, the experiences he made, and much more.
The way he concluded his response effectively summed up everything he had said. “Quarterback is just one thing I do,” he remarked. It’s not my true self. That made me laugh when I first heard it because, of course, there are other options. The whole point of your athletic persona was your multisport involvement. Playing in both the spring football game and the baseball game on the same day this past spring made you a mini-celebrity.
Looking back at that quote, though, I see he’s correct in more aspects than one. At UCF, JRP accomplished a lot. He engaged in activities outside of athletics. There’s a lot to cover when individuals discuss his time here, so it will take some time.
I’ve seen some of the comments on the video and saw that JRP’s response to my query was somewhat circulated on Twitter. These remarks are a reflection of the two sides of the UCF fan base, as I discussed at the beginning of this article. I noticed some complimenting JRP and some disparaging the man. One remark in particular stood out to me: “Legacy, what legacy? How did this man get in here?
It was such moments that inspired me to compose this. I would like to respond to the man’s query. I want to discuss how JRP’s time at UCF will always be in my memory as well as what I believe his legacy ought to be. Since so many other significant football players are also departing UCF, some readers may wonder why I’ve chosen to write about him. However, I believe that this is a worthwhile conversation to have. Thus, this is my opinion of JRP’s legacy. In the same way that the man stated that he is not a single entity, neither is my response a single idea.
My Quarterback is that.
I think we should probably finish this one first. I have to admit that when I consider JRP’s career, I have some personal prejudices. It’s not my bias, if you were thinking that, because I had the chance to speak with him multiple times. My bias stems from the fact that, as a fan, he’s truly the first authentic UCF quarterback I’ve seen.
By that, what do I mean? At UCF, I’m a junior right now. 2021 was the year I became a real Knights supporter. Previously, I had no loyalty to UCF because I had no family ties to the school and no college football team to root for because my parents attended an institution without a team. I mention that to demonstrate that I was not present for the legendary UCF quarterbacks of the past. I didn’t support Blake Bortles. While I did watch McKenzie Milton, I wasn’t a fan.
Though he never felt like the guy, I did see a lot of Mikey Keene. He was JRP’s replacement, or the guy in place of Gabriel. JRP stayed long enough for me to start thinking of him as the guy. The guy from UCF. He will always stand out to me as the first quarterback I had a connection with as a UCF fan because of that. And when I go back on his career, that does earn him brownie points in my book.
Fun to Watch
It is important for admirers to consider the amazing plays that JRP wrote. plays similar to him tossing himself in the air while diving to score against FAU. was his scoring run of 67 yards against Tulane. or all the occasions over the previous season that he tossed dots to his receivers. or every home run he made that he robbed. or every ball he threw over John Euliano Park’s wall
Even JRP’s detractors had to concede that he was enjoyable. Watching him perform at his finest was enjoyable. Of course, his running ability will be the aspect of his game that people remember most about him, but we also shouldn’t overlook how much better a passer he become this season. This year, he threw some amazing deep balls, and his arm compensated for his inability to scramble after his injury. He demonstrated his ability to put on a show in two distinct ways throughout his healthy period this year.
Memorable Moments
When the gentleman on Twitter inquired about JRP’s work at UCF, I was astounded since the guy did offer a ton of moments. As the team captain, he guided UCF to a conference title, a brief stint in the top 25 rankings, and two bowl appearances, extending the program’s bowl run to eight games. It’s absurd to claim the man was involved in nothing significant.
Will we also disregard the irreversible performances he gave? Will we ever forget the time he ran against #17 Tulane for 178 yards and two touchdowns? or the seven touchdowns he scored in all against Temple? or when he set #15 Oklahoma State on fire? Not in my opinion.
Great Player, Great Teammate
It’s indisputable that JRP gave it his all. It is not possible. On every play, the guy gave it his all. And while that implied that he occasionally acted a little carelessly with personal safety, it also showed that he was prepared to risk his life for the team.
Not that he didn’t put in a lot of effort at work. It was visible to you. He became a better passer this season, as I have indicated. His game doesn’t just suddenly shift. To make it happen, you have to work on the practice field for hours on end. JRP spent a lot of time honing his gaming skills, as you could see. He spent so much time getting up in the dark to practice with the team before heading out to play baseball.
JRP was a fantastic player, but that wasn’t all. Because of his character as a teammate, he was an excellent player. You can tell how much JRP means to the football and baseball teams by talking to any member of the squad. The teams adore him. He is a leader and a true locker room person. The whole football squad felt strange when he went down. Furthermore, I don’t believe the backup was the problem. Timmie McClain demonstrated his skill. In my opinion, the team in JRP lacked a strong core member.
Man of The People
This last item ought to be the main memory of JRP, in my opinion. He was correct when he assured me that he was more than just a quarterback. He was more than simply UCF’s quarterbackāhe was UCF!
I’ll be reminded of JRP’s embracing of the UCF community as I think back on his time here. He accepted it to the extent that it became a component of his personal brand. I was serious when I said I thought he was a UCF man. He integrated UCF into who he was. You were reminded of UCF when you looked at him.
He was active in the community and always supportive of everything related to UCF. He attended functions on behalf of UCF. He was the ideal representative of the university, the baseball team, and the football squad. He was someone his fellow Knights could be proud of, both for his work promoting Orlando Health and his involvement in football camps.
However, what admirers really need to keep in mind about him is his genuine kindness toward others. Regarding the media, he was consistently eager to speak. He was the starting centerfielder and quarterback, therefore a lot of media wanted to speak with him and ask him a lot of questions. Every time it was media day, he was occupied. However, the man never voiced any complaints. He was always kind to us, had a great smile, and provided insightful replies. He must have found the amount of attention bothersome, but he never said it.
He was considerate to fans as well as the media. After the Houston game, I seem to have gone past UCF’s locker room as I was leaving the media room. I observed a sizable gathering of UCF supporters who were all eager to speak with JRP. Every fan was granted their request. Later, I watched recordings of him spending a considerable amount of time there, posing for photos, signing autographs, and interacting with each fan. That did not happen just once to him. That was what he always did. He offered you his attention if you were a fan. His kindness brought joy to a great number of his fans. Put simply, he was the kind of athlete you want to watch. a modest man who repays his supporters.