Quarterback battle brewing at Tennessee
ATLANTA – Flashback to SEC Media Days 2024. No doubt Josh Heupel has.
If you had asked Tennessee’s coach back then if he thought he’d be talking about a quarterback competition in 2025, he’d have said you were crazy.
After all, Nico Iamaleava was entering just his first full season as the starter for the Vols.
But then a funny thing happened. Iamaleava transferred to UCLA, leaving Heupel and the Vols to scramble to find a new quarterback for 2024.
Ironically, Iamaleava’s decision started a chain reaction in Los Angeles, as Joey Aguilar transferred to Tennessee from UCLA.
A former star at Appalachian State before making the move to L.A., most figured Aguilar to be the choice.
However, according to Huepel, there’s going to be a true quarterback competition.
If Aguilar wants to be the starting quarterback, he’ll have to earn it. Savannah native Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre will also compete for the job.
“We will have a competition at the quarterback position, three guys inside of that room,” Heupel said. “They’ve taken the summer, developed relationships, and rapport with the guys around them. Their ability to compete positively with each other in the meeting room and on the field continues to grow. I’m really excited about getting on the field with those guys.”
Whichever quarterback wins the job, Heupel’s counting on him to jumpstart an offense that struggled at times last year.
“We’ve found a way to win with a lot of different quarterbacks throughout my career on the offensive side of the ball,” Heupel said. “We’re going to find a way to win with the guy that earns a starting spot as we go through training camp here in August.”
Heupel won’t spend any time worrying that Iamaveala is no longer with the program.
“Ultimately, at the end of the day, it’s never about who’s not in your building but about who is in your building,” he said. “For us, you can lose a quarterback at a lot of different times: December transfer portal, spring transfer portal. You can lose one week 1, first quarter of the ballgame in your opener, and now you’re on to number two through injury, right? You’ve got to have the next-man-up mentality.”
Whoever wins the job will receive a quick indoctrination into SEC play. Tennessee hosts Georgia in its SEC opener on September 13.
“At the end of the day, having guys that want to compete along with their brothers inside of that locker room, building that connection, but also having the right guys in there,” Heupel said. “At the end of the day, I’m really excited about who we have in there.”
