Heupel: Tennessee will hold open QB competition to replace Iamaleava
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel revealed that he'll hold a competition under center following the departure of former starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
"We have three guys inside that room," Heupel said Tuesday, according to Sports Illustrated's Najeh Wilkins. "I am really proud of what they have done. Joey (Aguilar) since he got here in May. Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre, and what those two guys have done since they have been on campus, and I am really proud of the steps they have taken through the summer and developing a relationship and rapport with the guys around them."
The Volunteers are without a starting quarterback after Iamaleava transferred to UCLA in April. The move came on the heels of reports that the signal-caller was seeking a raise in his NIL compensation.
Aguilar, a former Appalachian State standout, joined Tennessee following a brief stint with UCLA, while Merklinger is an inexperienced redshirt freshman. MacIntrye, a 6-foot-6 true freshman, is a four-star signee from the Vols' 2025 recruiting class.
Heupel is confident that Tennessee will remain competitive regardless of who starts in their season opener against Syracuse on Aug. 30.
"We've found a way to win with a lot of different quarterbacks throughout my career on the offensive side of the ball, and 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," he said.
Iamaleava led the Volunteers to their first College Football Playoff berth last season. He threw for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns, and five interceptions alongside 364 rushing yards to help guide Tennessee to a 10-3 record. But the Vols coach isn't dwelling on the quarterback's departure as the team prepares for the upcoming campaign.
"Ultimately, at the end of the day, it's never about who's not in your building but about who is in your building," Heupel said. "You've got to have the next-man-up mentality. 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."