UCF QB John Rhys Plumlee set to return to face No. 6 Oklahoma

As John Rhys Plumlee stood before a scrum of media members Monday, a new beard wasn’t the only thing the UCF quarterback was featuring.

A slim-fit black brace covered his right knee as the 5th-year senior spoke about the challenges of returning from an injury that’s limited him to just 3 starts through the first half of the season.

“It’s part of the uniform for me right now,” Plumlee said of the brace, one of six he’s worn over the last five weeks of rehabilitation. “You’ve got to try to keep it safe and take all the precautions necessary to keep myself safe.”

In his absence, the Knights (3-3, 0-3 Big 12) have gone 1-3, including losing three straight games for the first time since 2015. All three losses came in conference play, including a 29-point home collapse to Baylor and a 51-22 blowout at Kansas two weeks ago.

Plumlee started the game against the Jayhawks but took 10 offensive snaps before stepping aside and being replaced by backup Timmy McClain.

On Saturday, Plumlee is scheduled to return to the starting lineup at No. 6 Oklahoma (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) at noon on ABC’s national broadcast.

Coach Gus Malzahn confirmed the news, stating that he believes Plumlee is nearly 100% heading into the showdown with the Sooners and doesn’t expect any issues.

“He’s worked extremely hard to get back,” said Malzahn. “He was excited after last night’s practice, and I was too.”

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“I was able to move around, throw it well and move the way I want to move,” Plumlee said.

The past five weeks have been challenging for Plumlee, who worked with UCF’s training and medical staff during rehabilitation.

“We have a wall full of braces. I have six braces in the training room right now,” said Plumlee. “It just goes to show you that no stone is left unturned and they’re going do everything they can to make sure that you feel good and feel fit and ready to play.”

He credits longtime athletic trainer Mary Vander Heiden for helping him cope with the ups and downs of dealing with such a severe injury. Vander Heiden worked with former UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton while recovering from his devastating knee injury in 2018.

“Since the injury, we’ve spent more time together than we have apart,” Plumlee said. “That means a whole lot to me. She’s always one phone call away. I can call and say, ‘Hey, I feel funny right now. What do you think?’ She’s there to ease your mind.”

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From the start, Plumlee wished to return to the field with his teammates as soon as possible, but the training and medical staff preached patience.

“I wanted to push the envelope a little bit. I wanted to do more than less some days, but early on, it was, ‘Hey, pump the brakes; you’ve got to heal up a little before we start getting into it,’” Plumlee recalled.

Eventually, Vander Heiden would push the 22-year-old to try to do more.

“When it was time to bend my knee, I didn’t want to do anything. I didn’t like it at all,” Plumlee said. “Mary was there to say, ‘Hey, it’s time to cowboy up and let’s do it.’”

But as much as it was a physical challenge, his rehabilitation included a mental aspect.

In the start against Kansas, Plumlee said his knee felt “funny” after getting tackled for the first time. He left the game and conferred with Vander Heiden and team doctor Michael Jablonski before returning for a few series. He admitted after the game to being scared of that moment.

It’s overcoming those mental hurdles that Plumlee sees as the next challenge.

“In your mind, you have to start trusting your knee, getting in and out of breaks and being able to step into throws, to get hit and tackled,” said Plumlee. “I’m — if not on — close to being all the way healed. Now it’s about trusting myself that I’m healed and healthy to go out there and play football.”

Malzahn said he believes his quarterback is building back that trust.

“It is a matter of him going through practice every day and getting that trust,” said Malzahn. “When it first happened, there were questions that night if he would be back to play. Then it was [out] six-to-eight [weeks], but he was doing well, so then it was four-to-six [weeks], so it’s been a process.”

Email Matt Murschel at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @osmattmurschel.