Can someone explain to me why Merklinger or MacIntyre can't be QB1?

[C-south]

Pretty small sampling to be drawing conclusions. You need good backups, too, and that may be Merk and/or Mac's destiny.
QBs don't pan out all the time for anyone.
There also seems to be an assumption that had Milton not become injured, Heupel would never have reappraised and shifted to Hooker; that's entirely conjecture.

That’s not conjecture that’s exactly what happened.

 

[UTodd01]

Not sure Merk is as good as the fan base wants to believe. Hope I'm wrong there. GMac looks like a hell of a prospect, but shouldn't be starting this year.

 

[VolCalls]

Here it is in a nutshell. Here in VN we have some fans that have seen them in very limited action and they just assume neither are ready. GMac does need weight but I fully think Merk is ready to take the reins. People seem to forget that Merk had a pretty successful HS career and he is more athletic than Nico.

Both of them (Merk and GMac) have what it takes between the ears to be successful, and both want to be here and will give maximum effort. Nico had none of that, in hindsight. I think that along gives them a leg up on where Nico was at this time last year, despite the physical talent and lack of experience.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Pretty small sampling to be drawing conclusions. You need good backups, too, and that may be Merk and/or Mac's destiny.
QBs don't pan out all the time for anyone.
There also seems to be an assumption that had Milton not become injured, Heupel would never have reappraised and shifted to Hooker; that's entirely conjecture.

I completely agree Heupel CONTINUALLY evaluates his team. Many say the difference between Milton's reads vs Hooker's reads should've been obvious in practice to Josh, and certainly on the field we saw Hooker make dramatically better reads and have much more success. No one here is in a position to say "Hooker should have looked better in practice" with certainty.

What I'm bristling at is the insistence that either Merk or G-Mac gives us the same results Nico would've. I seriously doubt it. Experience on the field, raw talent, and an extra year in the system SHOULD count for something and probably do.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Why does anyone think they can't be? Tennessee has trotted out QBs with way less talent than either of this guys... You go with the best you have on campus.. Way it has always worked. QB1 = Best Available as determined by the coach. No need to ask otherwise IMO

Joey Matthews? AJ Suggs? He'll, we started two unproven freshman in 2004

 

[hardyemt_p]

If Nico stayed and had a season ending injury, I believe either would do fine. I think we are looking for depth.

 

[vavolfan6]

I think Merklinger looked really bad during the O&W game. So bad, that I can't seriously take him as an option to start.

G-Mac looks very promising though. But he is young and needs some weight added to him. It's difficult to put that much pressure on him to start right away. Rarely any true freshman play at the start, especially in the SEC. I wouldn't be opposed to giving him a shot though. But, I think it's probably better to start an experienced upperclassman at first, and if things don't pan out put in G-Mac. I think that is a much better situation to thrive in. But maybe this year is different. The fanbase has lowered their expectations and may be a little more patient and understanding to the players if they struggle.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

I am the OP. No where did I say they will for sure do as well as Nico would have. I do believe that it is possible they could though. No-one is making the case that Heupel is mid. I just asked why can't they be good this year? Why can't they get some experience? And how can they get expereince if we never let them play meaningful snaps? You started the rest of this saying i'm doubting Heupel. I never said one word about him. I think he very well could believe in them and roll into the season starting one of them. I was saying it seems like no one else believes they can be serviceable and that we HAVE to get a starter from the portal.

Brandon MAY win a Heisman his freshman year but it's not likely.

Heupel was planning on sitting these guys vs a "mid" SEC QB for a reason. I fully believe he'd have pushed Nico to the door if he didn't think Nico was easily better than Merk this year. Nico had been a huge pain to the school since day 1.

I get that you psychologically want to minimize the loss of Nico leaving but let's just keep it real: Yes, Merk could be as good as Nico would've been. No, Merk probably won't be.

Getting a one year, seasoned, smart, and start ready QB1 makes a lot more sense than rolling with a guy who was a clear QB2.

 

[LWSVOL]

I think Merklinger looked really bad during the O&W game. So bad, that I can't seriously take him as an option to start.

G-Mac looks very promising though. But he is young and needs some weight added to him. It's difficult to put that much pressure on him to start right away. Rarely any true freshman play at the start, especially in the SEC. I wouldn't be opposed to giving him a shot though. But, I think it's probably better to start an experienced upperclassman at first, and if things don't pan out put in G-Mac. I think that is a much better situation to thrive in. But maybe this year is different. The fanbase has lowered their expectations and may be a little more patient and understanding to the players if they struggle.

your mistake is trying to take anything from that practice session. it was in no way a game

 

[gunner]

Can someone please explain to me why it seems like both national media and local media think there is just no way that a redshirt freshman who was the 13th best QB or true freshman who was 17th best QB just don't stand a chance this year? I get that they are "unproven" but I mean did Nico really prove much last year? His numbers were not great and everyone would point to that. Did he have the physical tools? Sure, but so did Joe Milton and he just could never put it together in three years in the program. Why is everyone so sure Nico would have but these other highly ranked guys couldn't. Why do we need to go get some "proven guy" with maybe a year under his belt in a different system to come in and start over a guy who will have been here a year and a half by the time the season starts. So basically if your not a five start you need at least three years in the system to be good? It's like people wanting you to have experience for the job but if you never get the opportunity to get experience how can you ever prove yourself? I'm just so sick of this narrative that they will be this huge drop off from Nico. I'm not buying it. They can do good. They can lead us to wins. Why in the world would you come here as a highly ranked QB if you couldn't do the job. Why did we bring them in if they can't do the job? How many great QBs have we seen that were ranked where those two were out of high school or lower. Why can't they do it? Why do they need to sit three years before they can do it? Sorry I'll quit ranting. These guys can produce this year. I believe it. I hope one of them goes out and proves absolutely everyone wrong. Go Vols!

Even Peyton Manning struggled as a Freshman QB and his team was loaded with talent. Freshman Quarterback’s are rarely ready. This team needs an experienced quarterback to lead the offense that’s rebuilding.

 

[JCHateSteve]

I think they possibly can. But, Gmac probably shouldn't. Better to let him develop a year. The thing is, Tennessee kind of has to pick up a portal QB for depth. I don't know why you wouldn't get the best you can and then have a real competition for the job. Merk is behind where Nico was last year, not having played in a bowl game or taken 1st string reps all spring. So the competition should be good for everyone.

If the xfer wins Merk is right back where he expected to be this season. If Merk wins you have a 2nd string QB that allows Gmac a year to develop as planned. I just don't see the positive to going and getting a "warm body" type guy in comparison.

 

[NCFisher]

That’s not conjecture that’s exactly what happened.

No, it isn't; read it again:
"There also seems to be an assumption that had Milton not become injured, Heupel would never have reappraised and shifted to Hooker; that's entirely conjecture."

Milton started 2 games in 2022. Two. And went out early 2Q in the second.

There's nothing to indicate Heupel wouldn't have sat Milton after Pitt, if he'd had the same performance as against BG. It's simply become its own myth by people who posture as knowing something Heupel would be unable to see himself. Some people should find another talking point.

 

[Remy]

It is not lack of talent, just lack of experience. I think they will both be very good if given experience. Trial by fire is not ideal for anyone in the SEC.

THIS! Go back and check out last year's Arkansas game. It should give one a rough idea of how an inexperienced QB no matter talent level fares in the SEC. That team had much more experienced tools on offense around him than will be around this year's QB as well. However on the flip side NOBODY gains experience watching everybody else play either. Does Heupel think either of his two scholly QBs are the future or does he see the future in a new arrival next season? Either way I don't see game plans this upcoming season where we're airing the ball out very much. The 2025 Vols will lean heavily on the D. The great news? UF, Bama, and UGA are not likely going to have experienced set the world on fire QBs either.

 

[butchna]

Narratives! Learn them. Know them. Wear the everlicking **** out of them!

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

Opinions on VN are that Nico was "mid" yet Merk last year and through Spring practices couldn't separate himself and surpass Nico.

G-Mac in Spring practice seemed no better than Merk and has zero snaps in a college game as of yet.

There's a whole contingent saying Nico was the 9th best QB in the SEC last year yet neither Merk nor G-Mac could blow him away in practice.

Ask yourself, why couldn't Merk, at least, distinguish himself above Nico if Nico is the 9th best QB in the SEC?

The other guys could be similar or worse than Nico, but certainly you also realize that due to the money invested and the character of Team Nico, Nico being on the team and losing his starting job in camp was an impossibility, correct?

 

[butchna]

If we don’t land one of the sure fire starters, silver lining is I think this staff schemes better when their comfort level is challenged.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

I think they possibly can. But, Gmac probably shouldn't. Better to let him develop a year. The thing is, Tennessee kind of has to pick up a portal QB for depth. I don't know why you wouldn't get the best you can and then have a real competition for the job. Merk is behind where Nico was last year, not having played in a bowl game or taken 1st string reps all spring. So the competition should be good for everyone.

If the xfer wins Merk is right back where he expected to be this season. If Merk wins you have a 2nd string QB that allows Gmac a year to develop as planned. I just don't see the positive to going and getting a "warm body" type guy in comparison.

I can't see a "1 and done" upperclassman transferring from a likely starter role elsewhere to even dream of sitting behind an RS Fr.

Imagine coming from Iowa State as the starter only to sit at UT. That's a really big stretch to me.

 

[gobigorange91]

Brandon MAY win a Heisman his freshman year but it's not likely.

Heupel was planning on sitting these guys vs a "mid" SEC QB for a reason. I fully believe he'd have pushed Nico to the door if he didn't think Nico was easily better than Merk this year. Nico had been a huge pain to the school since day 1.

I get that you psychologically want to minimize the loss of Nico leaving but let's just keep it real: Yes, Merk could be as good as Nico would've been. No, Merk probably won't be.

Getting a one year, seasoned, smart, and start ready QB1 makes a lot more sense than rolling with a guy who was a clear QB2.

My argument was never about Nico vs these two. My argument has been why can't we be good with one of them. I was only comparing that Nico was in basically the same position last year that Merk is in now. Not comparing how they would have done this year. We will never know. But I'm saying we all were for giving Nico a shot with one game under his belt and everyone thinks these guys have no chance. That's the comparison I don't get.

 

[C-south]

No, it isn't; read it again:
"There also seems to be an assumption that had Milton not become injured, Heupel would never have reappraised and shifted to Hooker; that's entirely conjecture."

Milton started 2 games in 2022. Two. And went out early 2Q in the second.

There's nothing to indicate Heupel wouldn't have sat Milton after Pitt, if he'd had the same performance as against BG. It's simply become its own myth by people who posture as knowing something Heupel would be unable to see himself. Some people should find another talking point.

Lol. No that’s an excuse…a weak one that.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

The other guys could be similar or worse than Nico, but certainly you also realize that due to the money invested and the character of Team Nico, Nico being on the team and losing his starting job in camp was an impossibility, correct?

Guys get pushed to the door all the time and Nico's camp was apparently nothing but trouble.

It's the nature of NIL and the transfer portal that guys are going to jump for more money and some investments just don't pan out so you cut your losses.

If we're going to have to play guys just because of their NIL or their agent's threats, we seriously are screwed.

 

[B81]

In an era where a ton of teams go get an experienced qb it would not be wise to not at least kick the tires on someone that has had live bullets shot at them.

 

[Oldvoldad]

Can someone please explain to me why it seems like both national media and local media think there is just no way that a redshirt freshman who was the 13th best QB or true freshman who was 17th best QB just don't stand a chance this year? I get that they are "unproven" but I mean did Nico really prove much last year? His numbers were not great and everyone would point to that. Did he have the physical tools? Sure, but so did Joe Milton and he just could never put it together in three years in the program. Why is everyone so sure Nico would have but these other highly ranked guys couldn't. Why do we need to go get some "proven guy" with maybe a year under his belt in a different system to come in and start over a guy who will have been here a year and a half by the time the season starts. So basically if your not a five start you need at least three years in the system to be good? It's like people wanting you to have experience for the job but if you never get the opportunity to get experience how can you ever prove yourself? I'm just so sick of this narrative that they will be this huge drop off from Nico. I'm not buying it. They can do good. They can lead us to wins. Why in the world would you come here as a highly ranked QB if you couldn't do the job. Why did we bring them in if they can't do the job? How many great QBs have we seen that were ranked where those two were out of high school or lower. Why can't they do it? Why do they need to sit three years before they can do it? Sorry I'll quit ranting. These guys can produce this year. I believe it. I hope one of them goes out and proves absolutely everyone wrong. Go Vols!

Can they? Yes. Am I feeling giddy they will be? No!

 

[K-town Vol Fan]

Simply put: Merk and GMac are just young and inexperienced, like Nico last year. You see how that turned out.

Umm, going to the playoffs?

 

[JCHateSteve]

I can't see a "1 and done" upperclassman transferring from a likely starter role elsewhere to even dream of sitting behind an RS Fr.

Imagine coming from Iowa State as the starter only to sit at UT. That's a really big stretch to me.

Could be their isn't anyone that fits the bill. I still say get the best you can if only to drive a competition instead of just getting a scrub. QBs are usually confident dudes that think they'll win a competition. If a upperclassmen doesn't think he can beat out Merk he probably isn't the guy we need anyway. Besides anyone xfering from a starting job at a power 4 school is likely doing it for the money, at least to some extent.

 

[NCFisher]

Lol. No that’s an excuse…a weak one that.

But you don't have a logical or definitive counter for it, so "Lol", right? I get it, you bought into the narrative, convinced on the basis of 5 quarters into 2022 that Heupel was blind and irrevocably dedicated to Milton.

Probably less than 1 of 100 posters here understand schemes or recognize them during play, but blab authoritatively anyway. Perfectly fine; that's the duty of fans. But it's armchair fantasy football for us. Coaches, not so much.