Wide open QB battle

[VOLumeS]

Actually, the addition of Aguilar--even if he wins the starting job--merely keeps Merk and GMac on schedule in their planned development curve.

They certainly expected Nico to start this season. And the plan Heupel sells is that we will recruit the best possible QB candidate each year, and that ideally, if you come to Tennessee as a QB, you will have 2-3 years to develop while competing with players ahead of and behind you to sharpen your skills while deep-learning the offense. Then, if you earn it, you can have two seasons to really shine in the offense, and establish your resume for the next level.

Inevitably, injuries and rogue dads will interrupt that sequence, but it's the best and fairest compromise between offering players opportunity to compete at their best, while protecting the program against very bad luck. IMHO

Exactly.

 

[stonesk]

It's always fascinating to me when VolNation gets enamored with the new shiny object, and automatically want to make a certain player a starter. I'm sure it will be a competition, as it should be, with that said, I'm sure there will be a bias to someone with more experience, but if one of the underclassmen QB's shine, that is where coach will go, because he wants to win.

 

[CAPTAIN--VOL CAVALRY]

Were you given participation trophies as a kid? Really

I've seen this kid play, I'd wager more times than anyone here. I've posted about it a few times lately, anymore and I'd sound like a wingnut, so there's that.

Trust me when I tell you JA will be QB1.

I'd bet the farm, no schitt.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Heupel will coach that out of him. None of his QB's have been turnover prone.

He only has a few months with him until the season starts.

I appreciate your belief in Heupel, and he does coach good decision making which limits turnovers. Aguilar seems to have a habit of throwing into coverage and, we only have a very limited view of film, seeming to "force" his primary read to work.

In the year Heupel has with Aguilar, I hope he can teach him to take what's there. SEC defenses can eat a QB up who gets "stuck" on a read and won't look elsewhere.

 

[strkr]

Best man wins starting role as QB. I am just glad we have three QB's for depth purposes. SEC is a tough league and if you make the playoffs you definitely have to have depth.

 

[GrizzlyVol]

Yeah I think that's what most of us thought it would be, Aguilar has the most experience but.... let the games begin

 

[NEO]

I’m gonna get slaughtered for this but so far CJH hasn’t had the best track record of starting the right guy. Maybe Milton was a fluke but our team was night and day different when Hooker took over and it wasn’t even close.

 

[VFL9798]

I think it will ultimately come down to Merk or Joey. It’s the experience vs knowledge of the offense. I wouldn’t be surprised if you have one of them start vs Syracuse and the other start vs ETSU then go with one in the UGA game. Personally, would love to see Merk win it outright

 

[VFL9798]

I’m gonna get slaughtered for this but so far CJH hasn’t had the best track record of starting the right guy. Maybe Milton was a fluke but our team was night and day different when Hooker took over and it wasn’t even close.

That’s right.. I remember when Milton started vs Pitt in 2021.. I was there and he was overthrowing guys by 20+ yards

 

[landscapingvol]

Actually, the addition of Aguilar--even if he wins the starting job--merely keeps Merk and GMac on schedule in their planned development curve.

They certainly expected Nico to start this season. And the plan Heupel sells is that we will recruit the best possible QB candidate each year, and that ideally, if you come to Tennessee as a QB, you will have 2-3 years to develop while competing with players ahead of and behind you to sharpen your skills while deep-learning the offense. Then, if you earn it, you can have two seasons to really shine in the offense, and establish your resume for the next level.

Inevitably, injuries and rogue dads will interrupt that sequence, but it's the best and fairest compromise between offering players opportunity to compete at their best, while protecting the program against very bad luck. IMHO

That development curve was thrown out the window when Nico left and a new quarterback was brought in. It’s one thing to sit behind someone who would have spent three seasons at the position versus someone who isn’t even on campus yet

 

[ftsandersvol]

I'm not advocating for Merk but I wouldn't be surprised.

I’m advocating for Merk. JA is not going to know the system in such a short period of time.

 

[cgrish]

Merklinger knows the offense and already has team chemistry, Aguilars hurdle will be how fast can he learn it, and is the team behind him? I'm not advocating for Merk but I wouldn't be surprised.

I am thinking joey, but hope Merk wins it. I do want the best one to earn the position though.

 

[VawlIn]

That’s right.. I remember when Milton started vs Pitt in 2021.. I was there and he was overthrowing guys by 20+ yards

He pretty much single handedly brought us back that game. Once he took over everything started to click and even though we lost to Florida you knew by the Missouri game that we had something

 

[DaddyChad]

I think it is funny the posters who have deemed JA the starter based off of film from App St are the same posters who have deemed Merk based off of video from him in the O/W game. The facts are neither have played a competitive down in the SEC and whoever starts the first game may not be the starter of the last game.

IMO Merk has the advantage being in the system longer but JA has the experience so he may win out in the fall. I do question how JA adjusts to the speed of SEC defenses but only time will tell.

Open competition but I think the staff would prefer the veteran win it. Aguilar may not have played in the SEC but he has seen high level competition as a starter. Nothing against Merk but he was never planned to be the starter this season.

 

[Danl]

I’m gonna get slaughtered for this but so far CJH hasn’t had the best track record of starting the right guy. Maybe Milton was a fluke but our team was night and day different when Hooker took over and it wasn’t even close.

I keep seeing this type of comment. Just curious, of the 50 games CJH has been head coach of the Vols, in how many did he start the wrong guy?

 

[NighthawkVol]

Like starting Milton over Hooker you mean? Coaches aren't always right

He started Milton over Hooker because Milton earned it. Heupel could only base his decision on what they did in practices and scrimmages to that point. And to that point, Milton badly outplayed Hooker. Not outplayed…BADLY outplayed.

If you want Heupel to be able to see the future, you’re going to be disappointed in any coach.

 

[Vfl2407]

I’m advocating for Merk. JA is not going to know the system in such a short period of time.

True but we might alter our system to fit JA skill set.

 

[NCFisher]

lots of people thinking Aguilar would be handed the starting job because Nico was supposed to start ahead of the other two anyways.

Yes, but Nico had the playbook and a starting season behind him. Merk has the playbook and Aguilar has #1 QB experience, so different scenario. If you're coach, you really want to see your freshman recruits take it from the portal guy. Until one guy is tabbed #1, it's a competition.

 

[LWSVOL]

It sounds like Heupel is planning on having an open competition for QB this fall. Aguilar is not a given.

https://atozsports.com/nashville/volunteers/josh-heupel-confirms-tennessee-vols-quarterback-addition-ucla-transfer-joey-aguilar/

I will be very surprised if Merk is not the starting QB...

 

[PTSDVOL]

I will be very surprised if Merk is not the starting QB...

I will be surprised if it’s not Joey Aguilar.

 

[valoisvol]

Regardless of how this ends up, Merk and GMAC are going to be better than if Benedict Nico had stayed. I am VERY pleased we have young men that want to be at Tennessee. I see all of this drama as a blessing in disguise.

Yeah they may want to be here this year. But no guarantees for next year. Here today gone tomorrow

 

[Carl Pickens]

I agree, but the fact is Aguilar has thrown for nearly 7,000 yards in college, Merk for something like 50, Mac for zero. I think we better be hoping Aguilar wins the job if we want a decent season...jmo

You wear sensible shoes

 

[NEO]

I keep seeing this type of comment. Just curious, of the 50 games CJH has been head coach of the Vols, in how many did he start the wrong guy?

He was forced to start Hooker because his guy Milton crapped the bed so bad. He didn’t have a choice. He then went back to Milton who honestly sucked again. That was a three year period. The Milton hooker scenario was not a good look and shows he clearly didn’t know which QB was actually better.

 

[Danl]

He was forced to start Hooker because his guy Milton crapped the bed so bad. He didn’t have a choice. He then went back to Milton who honestly sucked again. That was a three year period. The Milton hooker scenario was not a good look and shows he clearly didn’t know which QB was actually better.

The question was, of the 50 games of the Heupel era, how many games do you think he started the wrong guy? In other words, what is his track record of starting the wrong guy?

In 2021 he started Milton 2 games. We won the first game by 32 points. One could argue that Heupel started the right guy or the wrong guy, but we won by a buttload. We lost the second game to Pitt.

Then, he started Hooker until Hooker's college career was ended.
Then, he started Milton the last 2 games of 2022, both of which we won.

Then he started Milton all of 2023, except the bowl game, which Nico started.

Then he started Nico all of 2024.

So, you have 1 game (Pitt in 2021) where most would argue he started the wrong guy. If you're using 20/20 hindsight, you could argue for the 2021 opening game. That's 1 and, at most, 2 games out of 50 that Heupel may have started the wrong guy. Unless you know about a bunch of other games he started the wrong guy.......

 

[Woodlawn VOL]

I am sure coaches might have their idea of what they have at quarterback, but until they get out in live action nobody knows. Heupel will start whoever wins the job. Aguilar has the in game experience where Merk and Mac while both still young have more experience in our offense. But I expect Aguilar will adapt to our offense fast, I think both Merk and Mac will benefit from the competition. I have total confidence in our staff to put the one out there that has beat command of the offense. GBO