Golden Bear Preview: Jack Plummer
THE FINALE
Well, we’ve finally made it to the finish line in regards to previewing all the players from the California Golden Bears recent signing class, from the high school recruits to those who we got through the transfer portal. Today’s preview focuses on quarterback Jack Plummer, the provisional starter for Cal in 2022. Plummer transferred to Berkeley after four seasons at Purdue University, where he played in a total of 21 games and had 13 starts across the 2019, 2020, and 2021 seasons before being replaced by Aidan O’Connell. So what can we expect from our starting QB? Well let’s dive on in!
The bio and Measurables:
6 ft 5 in
215 LBS
Gilbert High School/Purdue University (via Gilbert, AZ)
What does Cal get in Plummer?
Well first off, Cal is getting a more mechanically sound quarterback, about as sound as Davis Webb was during the 2016 season. As much as some Cal fans may not want to accept it, Jack Plummer is objectively a better quarterback than Chase Garbers. While Garbers may end up going down as the more clutch Cal QB, Plummer’s mechanics and arm strength and leaps and bounds ahead of Garbers.  I can’t count the amount of times Garbers would be in shotgun for a pass and cringe at the noodle arm motion and arm strength in trying to get it to Trevon Clark or Nikko Remigio most of the time. On the other hand, Plummer has a command for the pocket that can almost be seen as a polar opposite to Chase. He’s more focused on slinging passes into tight zone windows, in addition to stretching the field over the top. As seen at the 1:47 mark here against a respectable Minnesota defense, the motion and play off of #24 lets Plummer use his eyes to deceive the boundary corner in order to zip a fastball into the middle of the zone.
Furthermore, at this play at 3:06, it is a perfect spot throw to the corner route in the end zone to Rondale Moore, a throw that we haven’t seen much of since 2017. Plummer does have a tendency to take shots when they aren’t there, especially when he had players of the caliber of David Bell and Rondale Moore, two elite college receivers. Plummer’s best skill position player will likely be Jeremiah Hunter or J.Michael Sturdivant next season, a significant step downwards in terms of skill players and experience, which could bode for an uptick in offensive turnovers since the chemistry won’t be all the way there. Think of a less polished version of Davis Webb when thinking about Jack Plummer. And that is not necessarily a bad thing either. Webb was good in his lone year at Cal, doing better than the eventual 5-7 record showed back in 2016.
Plummer’s mechanics and ability raises the floor and ceiling for the offense this year, but by how much is the question. He doesn’t have Bell or Moore at his disposal, but he does have a strong running game and defense complimenting him which he didn’t have when he was with the Boilermakers. Other questions have been asked about his mobility and while he doesn’t have the mobile instincts that Chase Garbers had, you can think of someone like Derek Carr in regards to his mobility. Not someone who will put the burners on you, but can hold their own if needed in escaping into the open field.
Plummer’s Purdue Stats(via Calbears.com):
2019: 7 appearances, 6 starts, 144/241, 1603 yds, 11 TD, 8 INT
2020: 3 appearances, 3 starts, 88/124, 938 yds, 8 TD, 2 INT
2021: 9 appearances, 4 starts, 87/127, 864 yds, 7 TD, 0 INT (replaced by O’Connell Week 5)
Best of luck to Jack as he starts his Cal career!
He didn't transfer to Berkeley. Berkeley is a CITY. He transferred to THE University of California.
As a Purdue fan who watched every snap of Plummer, your analysis of Plummer is so off base.
The book on him is he doesn’t ever let it rip. He doesn’t go over the top. He doesn’t throw into tight windows.
Everything is underneath or to the flats, he takes no chances.
Additionally, he doesn’t have good pocket awareness. He takes tons of sacks. Google about Purdue vs Penn State in 2019.
It’s not all bad with him. He doesn’t make crucial mistakes, as you can see by his low interception numbers.
But outside of some big games against mid majors, he will play scared and frustrate Cal fans.