UCF opens fall camp with quarterback competition

ORLANDO, Fla. - It's been a while since UCF football entered fall camp without a starting quarterback.

This year it's sophomore Mikey Keene and Ole Miss transfer John Rhys Plumlee, battling for the starting role under center. 

Both quarterbacks got even reps with the ones and twos during practice on Monday. Head coach Gus Malzahn said it'll be this way for at least the next weeks. 

Keene made huge strides since being thirst into the starting position last year as a true freshman, taking over for an injured Dillon Gabriel.

"He’s stronger. He’s a little faster. He’s got a year under his belt of experience…You can tell that he’s a lot more confident guy than he was last year," Malzahn said. 

Plumlee, who was a wide receiver at Ole Miss his sophomore and junior season, hadn't played quarterback in over a year and a half. 

But he worked really hard in the offseason to get back into qb form. 

"He’s more confident. He knows where to go with the ball. He’s throwing the ball balanced. You can tell both those guys improved since the spring," Malzahn said.

Keene and Plumlee going head to-to-head, competing to be QB1, is only going to make the team better. 

"Competition breeds success. It’s kind of one of those things where I dealt with so many quarterback changes, whoever’s back there is back there," fifth year offensive lineman, Samuel Jackson said. "Whoever’s chosen at the end of the day, all the guys are going to respect it."

Malzahn plans on naming the starting quarterback after the second scrimmage.