Tennessee football has a few weeks to figure out who its starting quarterback is going to be this season before the Vols kick off against Syracuse to open the season.
Freshman George MacIntyre, Redshirt Freshman Jake Merklinger, and transfer Joey Aguilar will be battling for the QB1 job throughout Fall Camp, but the expectation is that Aguilar takes the top spot on the depth chart.
While that is possible, we could see Merklinger take control of the offense and win the position, especially with how he has stepped up as a leader.
Offensive lineman Lance Heard discussed Merklinger's position in the locker room and how he has stepped up and become a leader for the Vols.
Heard shared that "[Merklinger] is a natural born leader. You'd think he's a four or five-year vet with the way he handles himself."
Heard is a veteran offensive lineman himself and knows what good leaders look like, and more importantly, what bad leaders look like. It seems clear that Merklinger has been working hard to win over the locker room and coaching staff, and his efforts in leading the offense and team have made a significant impact.
Rocky Top Insider's Ryan Schumpert reported that Merklinger and Aguilar split first-team reps at quarterback in the first practice of Fall Camp, cementing that Merklinger and Aguilar are currently competing for the QB1 spot on the depth chart.
Schumpert also shared that Merklinger was perfect on the day, going 13-for-13 on passes, while Aguilar threw 6-for-11 during practice, but some of those incompletions were drops by the receivers.
Heupel mentioned that someone would have to "go out there and take" the starting quarterback job, and it appears that Merklinger is taking the challenge personally after the first day of Fall Camp.
A lot could change before we reach the season opener against Syracuse, but it appears Merklinger is going for the starting quarterback job and is not looking back.