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The dispute between Tennessee and quarterback Nico Iamaleava reached a boiling point on Saturday morning when the two sides chose to go their separate ways. Following the Volunteers spring game on Saturday afternoon, Heupel addressed Iamaleava’s departure and assessed his options at quarterback.
Whether the quarterback solution is already on the roster or in the transfer portal, the Volunteers have a few to choose from over the next few months, and the spring game was an opportunity for Heupel to look at two of them.
Tennessee held its spring game just hours after Iamaleava was removed from the roster, and redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger got the first reps alongside wide receivers Mike Matthews, Braylon Staley and Trey Weary.
Merklinger was Tennessee’s third-string quarterback last season, behind Iamaleava and Gaston Moore. He saw limited playing time in two appearances, completing 6 of 9 pass attempts for 48 yards.
Merklinger got off to a shaky start in the spring game, but recovered for some nice throws, including a long touchdown pass to star wideout Mike Matthews.
Merklinger was a four-star recruit in Tennessee’s 2024 signing class and the No. 12 quarterback in that cycle, according to 247Sports. The Calvary Day School (Georgia) product chose the Vols with other programs like Georgia, North Carolina, Louisville and NC State expressing interest in him.
Saturday afternoon’s spring game was the first real opportunity for early enrollee George MacIntyre to show off his skills in anything resembling a game setting. Despite his lack of experience, MacIntyre arrived in Knoxville as a highly-touted prospect.
Like Merklinger, MacIntyre had his ups and downs, but he also showed flashes of his high upside while throwing…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/whats-next-for-tennessee-josh-heupel-addresses-nico-iamaleava-future-at-qb-after-volunteers-spring-game/
Author : Austin Nivison
Publish date : 2025-04-12 22:22:00
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