Baptism by fire has forged Plummer into a top contender for Purdue QB job

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Jack Plummer received a baptism by fire last season. Now, he’s hoping to grow into the spot as Purdue’s No. 1 quarterback.

The competition this fall is heating up to see who will be the Boilermakers’ top signal-caller when Purdue opens the season Oct. 24 at home vs. Iowa. The position is open with Elijah Sindelar opting not to use a sixth season of eligibility he was granted last season after an injury-filled career.

It’s a three-man race between Plummer and redshirt juniors Aidan O’Connell and Austin Burton, a grad transfer from UCLA. And, given the experience he gained last season, Plummer may be the presumptive No. 1 option for Jeff Brohm’s fourth Purdue squad.

Prior to Sindelar’s three-season run as the season-opening starter, the Boilermakers unbelievably featured a different Game No. 1 starter for 10 consecutive seasons (2008-17). Robert Marve was the opening starter two times in that span, but not in consecutive seasons (2010 and 2012).

That instability at quarterback has been a major issue for a Purdue program that has struggled for consistent success since the late Joe Tiller stepped down after the 2008 season.

Plummer was thrust into making his first career start last season vs. a rugged TCU team in the third game after Sindelar had suffered a concussion the previous week vs. Vanderbilt. Plummer was uneven in his debut playing a Horned Frogs club known for defense under Gary Patterson. Plummer hit only 13-of-29 passes for 181 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions in a 34-13 loss.

Plummer became the Boilermakers' No. 1 man after Sindelar was lost for the season with a broken collarbone in the fourth game vs. Minnesota. Plummer ended up playing in nine games and starting six last season as a redshirt freshman before seeing his 2019 season end with an ankle injury vs. Nebraska in the ninth game of the season. That opened the door for O’Connell to start the final three games. And, he impressed.

The injury suffered by Plummer was similar to the one incurred by former Boilermaker signal-caller David Blough vs. Illinois in 2017. After surgery, Plummer began to work his way back in the spring, seeing some light action during the team's eight spring practices. Now, he’s good to go.

“Ankle’s good,” said Plummer after a practice this month. “100 percent. It really felt like 100, 100 percent like probably in March, like right after we went home, got sent home for spring break, and I started feeling really, really good.”

Plummer completed 59.8 percent of his passes for 1,603 yards with 11 touchdowns and eight picks in 2019. The 6-5, 220-pound native of Gilbert, Ariz., worked hard in the extended offseason to improve. What did he focus on?

“Being able to make throws on time in the pocket accurately so receivers keep them on the run,” said Plummer. “... be able to get from the first read progression all the way down to third or fourth guy quickly and on time, all while keeping calm in the pocket.”

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Another area where Plummer has grown: leadership.

“He was coming off the ankle in the spring, so we really only got to see him in seven-on-seven work throughout the spring,” said co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Brian Brohm after a practice last week. “But he's fully healthy now.

“He’s actually been more vocal than I've seen him. He’s speaking up in front of the team, gathering the team up and speaking of his own volition with no direction from me or the head coach. So, he's taken on more of a leadership role, more comfortable being vocal in front of his teammates. So, that has been good to see.”

Why the sudden confidence?

“I think it's a bit of experience, being here for a little while,” said Brohm. “When you get a little bit older, you start to feel more comfortable, but also feel like you've earned some respect just because of being in the games and playing. It’s definitely a concerted effort on his part to try to be more of a leader, and he's doing that.”

Now, Plummer wants to win the job in what is an intense-but-still-friendly competition with O’Connell and Burton.

“I think when you put a bunch of good quarterbacks together in one room, naturally, they're just gonna want to compete on every throw they make,” said Plummer. “We're keeping charts on the board of who is doing what. You see someone make a good play in this period, you have to make a good play. But at the same time, we're also cheering for each other.

“But, overall, I think competition makes us all better.”

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