Merk is entering the portal

#7
#7
Seems like he has made it official.
GA TECH , UGA or Clemson will take him.. Hyple has not developed a Freshman QB to start for the Vols since he became our coach. Mac might be the first but he want survive the SEC if he does not put on some weight.

Merklinger is athletic and should be a QB for a major school. QB’s have to transfer in to play at TN. This will hurt us recruiting at TN if some of the QB’s Hyple recruits don’t progress to starters.
 
#8
#8
GA TECH , UGA or Clemson will take him.. Hyple has not developed a Freshman QB to start for the Vols since he became our coach. Mac might be the first but he want survive the SEC if he does not put on some weight.

Merklinger is athletic and should be a QB for a major school. QB’s have to transfer in to play at TN. This will hurt us recruiting at TN if some of the QB’s Hyple recruits don’t progress to starters.
Lol
 
#9
#9
GA TECH , UGA or Clemson will take him.. Hyple has not developed a Freshman QB to start for the Vols since he became our coach. Mac might be the first but he want survive the SEC if he does not put on some weight.

Merklinger is athletic and should be a QB for a major school. QB’s have to transfer in to play at TN. This will hurt us recruiting at TN if some of the QB’s Hyple recruits don’t progress to starters.
You should probably learn how to spell his name before coming here to troll.
 
#10
#10
GA TECH , UGA or Clemson will take him.. Hyple has not developed a Freshman QB to start for the Vols since he became our coach. Mac might be the first but he want survive the SEC if he does not put on some weight.

Merklinger is athletic and should be a QB for a major school. QB’s have to transfer in to play at TN. This will hurt us recruiting at TN if some of the QB’s Hyple recruits don’t progress to starters.

Merk doesn't have the arm strength or ability to process the field and go through his reads fast enough for most high level programs (Talking the Bama, LSU, UGA, Texas, Tennessee etc. of the world). You can get away with 1 or the other at some levels, but not both. I wish nothing but success wherever he lands.
 
#11
#11
If we get the Cincy QB we are instantly a legitimate playoff contender but it seems like Texas Tech has that one pretty much locked up if he doesn't go the to NFL.
Cincy is my second team. That’s a reach. Talented for sure but in pretty much every big game and against good defenses he was very pedestrian. Would Heup and Co bring something out of him? Maybe but I’d be cautious
 
#12
#12
GA TECH , UGA or Clemson will take him.. Hyple has not developed a Freshman QB to start for the Vols since he became our coach. Mac might be the first but he want survive the SEC if he does not put on some weight.

Merklinger is athletic and should be a QB for a major school. QB’s have to transfer in to play at TN. This will hurt us recruiting at TN if some of the QB’s Hyple recruits don’t progress to starters.
Not sure who Hyple is but Merklinger was always going to be a back up qb at any major program that he ended up at. He might start at Ga Tech or Duke and that would probably be a good move for him.
 
#13
#13
If we get the Cincy qb, I really like our qb room next season.
I watched the 2025 season highlights this morning. It's hard to really know when it's a highlight film, but this guy appears to be the real deal. Throws strikes with different arm angles, accurate deep balls, surprising as a runner. He would be a great get, in my opinion. Disclaimer; I did say it was a highlight film.
 
#14
#14
Cincy is my second team. That’s a reach. Talented for sure but in pretty much every big game and against good defenses he was very pedestrian. Would Heup and Co bring something out of him? Maybe but I’d be cautious
Thanks for the insight. I haven't watched him play but based on his stats and someone saying he might get drafted as high as the 2nd round if he enters now, I've been putting him in the John Mateer category.
 
#15
#15
If we get the Cincy QB we are instantly a legitimate playoff contender but it seems like Texas Tech has that one pretty much locked up if he doesn't go the to NFL.
The UC QB is getting $4mill plus next year. I doubt that works for us. You pretty well gotta guarantee a guy starts to pay him that much. I don't think we can do that without pissing off our QB room
 
  • Like
Reactions: norrislakevol
#16
#16
The UC QB is getting $4mill plus next year. I doubt that works for us. You pretty well gotta guarantee a guy starts to pay him that much. I don't think we can do that without pissing off our QB room
This is true. Personally, I'd prefer we bring in someone like the ND transfer to truly compete with GMac and Faizon for the job and use the big bucks to add the best DT and S money can buy.
 
#17
#17
You should probably learn how to spell his name before coming here to troll.
I don’t come here to troll. I have been a Vol fan since I was a kid. I am 76 yrs old. I have two grandsons in Savannah and they are big fans of Merklinger. I have seen Merklinger play very little. He will probably develop at a major school.
 
#18
#18
I don’t come here to troll. I have been a Vol fan since I was a kid. I am 76 yrs old. I have two grandsons in Savannah and they are big fans of Merklinger. I have seen Merklinger play very little. He will probably develop at a major school.
Thank you for your service to humanity. 76 years of cheering on the Vols and raising a family is what dreams are made of.
 
#19
#19
I'm going to go out on a limb that CJH and the QB room are confident that JA will get another year and that it's best for Merk to move on if he wants playing time, otherwise he would've waited till Friday. The NCAA is supposed to respond to the lawsuit by this Friday. I understand entering the portal early to get a head start but right now there are a lot bigger names in there to be considered
 
#20
#20
GA TECH , UGA or Clemson will take him.. Hyple has not developed a Freshman QB to start for the Vols since he became our coach. Mac might be the first but he want survive the SEC if he does not put on some weight.

Merklinger is athletic and should be a QB for a major school. QB’s have to transfer in to play at TN. This will hurt us recruiting at TN if some of the QB’s Hyple recruits don’t progress to starters.
Ok Yogi.
 
#21
#21
GA TECH , UGA or Clemson will take him.. Hyple has not developed a Freshman QB to start for the Vols since he became our coach. Mac might be the first but he want survive the SEC if he does not put on some weight.

Merklinger is athletic and should be a QB for a major school. QB’s have to transfer in to play at TN. This will hurt us recruiting at TN if some of the QB’s Hyple recruits don’t progress to starters.
Nico was a R-Freshman and started the whole season in '24.
 

Advertisement



Back
Top