"I don't think he wants to let go of that" - Tennessee Insider reveals which QB among Joey Aguilar, Jake Merklinger, George MacIntyre leads QB1 battle

Joey Aguilar, Jake Merklinger, and George McIntyre are in a battle to become Tennessee’s starting quarterback, according to VolQuest’s Brent Hubbs. Hubbs was a guest on 104.5 The Zone’s Ramon and Will on Friday, where he analyzed the quarterback situation in Knoxville.

He explained that a competition for the starting quarterback job has ensued, following Nico Iamaleava’s departure in the spring. He said:

“I think that’s going to be a healthy competition. But I think it’s going to be a pretty intense competition in that quarterback room, too," Hubbs said. "I think Merklinger, I think he got a taste and the thought of being the number one quarterback when Nico left. That week or two after, he was QB1. And I don’t think he wants to let go of that. And then George went from ‘I’m not gonna play’ to ‘wait a minute, I’m in the competition.’ And then Joey Aguilar is look at it going, ‘well, I could step in there and be the guy at an SEC program…and play in front of 100,000 people, I’m not going to screw this thing up.’ So I think everybody’s got their own kind of drive with it. But I think it’s going to be a pretty intense competition between all three of those. It should be fun.”

Reviewing the options for Tennessee’s starting quarterback role

The Vols’ preseason practice is set to start on Jul. 30, and it isn’t clear who Josh Heupel will hand the starting quarterback role to. With three options to choose from, each with peculiar strengths and advantages.

Joey Aguilar is the most experienced of the lot, having acquired plenty of playing time at Appalachian State. While there are questions about the number of interceptions he gives away, he has proven his mettle as a passer at the college level.

The advantage he has in maturity and experience favors him as the natural leader of the Vols’ quarterback room.

On the other hand, there’s Jake Merklinger. A redshirt freshman, Merklinger arrived in Tennessee as a blue-chip recruit. While he is not as battle-tested as Aguilar, he has been commended for his arm strength, poise, and understanding of the game.

Even more inexperienced than Merklinger is George MacIntyre. A top-20 quarterback prospect and early 2025 enrollee at Tennessee, he found himself thrown in the mix following Iamaleava’s fallout with the program.

Although he’s not a likely candidate, the decision is ultimately for Heupel, and whoever he selects at the start of the season is something everyone will have to wait and see.

Edited by Gio Vergara