Tennessee quarterback Jake Merklinger agrees to new contract
Tennessee quarterback Jake Merklinger has agreed to a new contract, according to On3’s Pete Nakos, locking in the redshirt freshman with the Vols for the 2025 season.
Merklinger and freshman George MacIntyre are currently the only two quarterbacks on Tennessee’s roster. The Vols received a commitment from UCLA transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar.
Aguilar entered the NCAA Transfer Portal after former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava left the Vols and signed with UCLA. Aguilar had transferred from Appalachian State to UCLA in December.
Merklinger was a four-star prospect ranked as the No. 12 quarterback in the 2024 class out of Calvary Day School in Savannah, Georgia. He was ranked No. 201 overall in the country and No. 23 overall in the state of Georgia.
Tennessee moved on from Nico Iamaleava on April 12
Merklinger appeared in two games last season, competing 6 of 9 passes for 48 yards.
MacIntyre was a four-star prospect in the 2025 class out of Brentwood Academy in Nashville. He was ranked as the No. 15 quarterback in the class. He was No. 192 overall and No. 3 in the state of Tennessee.
Aguilar threw for 6,760 yards, 56 touchdowns and 24 interceptions over the previous two seasons at Appalachian State, completing 60.1% of his passes, averaging 13.2 yards per completion and 8.0 yards per attempt.
Nakos reported on April 10 that Iamaleava was in contract negotiations for a new NIL deal to stay at Tennessee. Iamaleava did not report to practice the next morning and was not in communication with Tennessee’s coaching staff through the day.
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‘Keep working hard and just try to be the best version of yourself’
Josh Heupel and the Vols then decided to move on from Iamaleava, announcing the news to the team on the morning of April 12, before Tennessee’s Orange & White Game at Neyland Stadium.
“We got two guys in that room, excited to go watch them go play,” Heupel said before the annual split-squad spring game. “They’ve had a really good spring, grown throughout it. Excited about having a chance to get out in front of our fans and our guys go compete today.”
Merklinger said after the Orange & White Game that there had been no change in his mindset after the surprising Iamaelava departure.
“We were going to get the same amount of reps in the spring game regardless,” he said at the time, “so no added pressure … approach every day like you’re the starter, keep working hard and just try to be the best version of yourself.”
