Tennessee’s starting quarterback position is set. In case you haven’t heard, Nico Iamaleava is first team. Second team, however, is a bit more unclear.
The Vols don’t have a veteran backup on hand now that Gaston Moore has moved on. That leaves them with an interesting competition that will play out during spring practice, which begins on March 9.
Jake Merklinger would have to be the odds-on favorite to win the backup job. He served as Tennessee’s third-string quarterback last season.
Merklinger didn’t get a chance to show much in 2024, as he completed six of nine passes for 46 yards. In his freshman season, Merklinger also ran for 22 yards on seven carries. Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of last season for Merklinger was that he didn’t surpass Moore for the backup role. However, that’s old news now.
If he can’t hold off George MacIntyre, a four-star quarterback from Brentwood (Tenn.) Academy, Merklinger will be third-string again. MacIntyre enrolled at midterm and will be a full participant in spring camp.
From a recruiting perspective, MacIntyre’s status is pretty impressive. At his position, MacIntyre was ranked No. 8 by Rivals, No. 10 by ESPN, No. 12 by ON3 and No. 14 by 247Sports. Besides being higher rated coming out of high school, MacIntyre is also considered a bit more athletic than Merklinger. Now that we have the backups addressed, let’s turn back to Iamaleava.
Spring practice could be a turning point for Iamaleava, if Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel decides to turn his sophomore loose. If not, there isn’t much time. Iamaleava could turn pro after this season if he comes anywhere close to reaching his recruiting reputation, which tabbed him as one of the top quarterback prospects in the nation and a five-star recruit. However, that’s not really Heupel’s style.
Heupel’s practices aren’t nearly as physically taxing as other coaches in the SEC and beyond. There’s good reason for that, as it keeps his players happy and healthy. However, it might not be best for Iamaleava.
My suggestion? The most physical, taxing spring camp in recent memory. Iamaleava is most comfortable after he gets hit. That showed in his play last season. He’d get hit a lot if I were Tennessee’s head coach.
