Ole Miss came into the 2019 football season with a room full of freshman quarterbacks. They could compete for the job, but the starter was all but given when the Rebels sent quarterback Matt Corral to SEC Media Days.

Much has changed since July, including the pecking order at the game’s most important position.

Corral started, but in Week 4, Ole Miss fans were introduced to John Rhys Plumlee.

He has been hard to catch — on the field and on the depth chart — since.

Against California, Plumlee ignited the offense with his arm and legs. A perfect 7-for-7 through the air for 82 yards and 3 carries for 53 yards. Ole Miss fans were seeing the future unfold. Ole Miss came up 1 yard short of forcing overtime and fell against Cal, but Plumlee’s emergence couldn’t be ignored.

As the season comes to a close, here are 5 reasons Plumlee should be name 2019 SEC Freshman of the Year.

1. Plumlee had a record day against the No. 1 team in the nation

While Ole Miss fell to LSU this past Saturday, it wasn’t without an incredible effort from its freshman QB. Plumlee ran for 212 yards and 3 touchdowns on 21 carries.

It was the most yardage LSU had given up to a quarterback since Cam Newton ran for 217 yards in 2010. Newton won the Heisman Trophy and national championship that year.

Plumlee’s career day helped Ole Miss rush for 402 yards against LSU, just shy of the 420-yard record Mississippi State set against the Tigers in 1991.

2. With 989 rushing yards, Plumlee is destroying the Rebels record books

Earlier this season against New Mexico State, Plumlee broke Mico McSwain’s rushing record as a freshman, then set at 612 yards. He is at 989 and counting.

He also broke the freshman record of 6 touchdowns set by running back Joe Gunn.

Plumlee has rushed for 11 touchdowns and looks to add to each total against Mississippi State in 2 weeks.

He leads the SEC in rushing yards per game (123.6) and yards per attempt (7.27, minimum of 100 carries), is 2nd in rushing TDs (11) and 4th in total rushing yards — just 73 yards behind leader Kylin Hill.

3. Plumlee likely will be the only 1,000-yard rusher at quarterback in Ole Miss history

Should Plumlee run for 11 yards in the Egg Bowl, Plumlee will become the only Rebels quarterback to reach 1,000 yards.

He also would become the 11th Rebel in history to reach that mark.

Joining NFL stars like Kayo Dottley, Dexter McCluster and Deuce McAllister is something the Oak Grove, Miss., native probably never thought he’d be in the company of as a senior in high school this time last fall.

4. The SEC record books are being edited as well

Only 5 SEC quarterbacks have rushed for over 1,000 yards in a season.

Plumlee likely will become the 6th. He could finish as high as 4th in SEC history by rushing for more than 79 yards, passing Nick Marshall from Auburn, who rushed for 1,068 back in 2013.

Plumlee would become 1 of only 2 freshman quarterbacks in SEC history to rush for over 1,000 yards, joining redshirt freshman Johnny Manziel from Texas A&M.

Like Newton, Manziel won a Heisman Trophy.

5. Plumlee is the easy choice, but don’t forget about Bo Nix at Auburn

By looking at the rushing numbers alone, it’s not close. In the SEC this season, Plumlee has been the central focus of the Ole Miss offense. Unfortunately for Plumlee, the wins haven’t come as easily.

That’s one advantage Auburn’s Bo Nix has in the argument. Nix also has better passing numbers.

Should voters look at those specific superlatives, they could side with Nix.

There’s no debating which quarterback defensive coordinators are preparing for. Plumlee already has 5 100-yard games and just barely missed a 6th, finishing with 92 yards in the loss at Auburn.

As for the future at Ole Miss, it will be Plumlee and his record-shattering rushing performances. The eye-popping numbers and the names he is now mentioned with cannot be ignored.

By trailing only Cam Newton and Johnny Manziel, 2 Heisman Trophy winners, in the rushing categories above, freshman John Rhys Plumlee has quite the future ahead of him.