'24 GA QB Jake Merklinger (Tennessee)

#726
#726
KPT_VFL said:
Merk is a 5 star player idc what the rankings say. Kids a baller! QB position is in great hands.
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He's super impressive in his highlights. Accurate, moves well within the pocket and can run to escape trouble. Big enough arm. I just hope we can keep him if he's not the starter for 2 years (in '24 and '25). He looks just like a smaller Nico who moves just as well or better.
 
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#729
#729
MarcoVol said:
How do you know how much effort is going into Wingo’s recruitment?
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Remind me of where I suggested I had any idea how much effort Tennessee was putting into Wingo. Saying he "isn't worth the effort" is a general statement that provides no indicator of my purview into Tennessee's specific level of effort into recruiting anyone.
 
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#731
#731
Jackcrevol said:
We've heard it all before.

Mikell is an important recruit, as we really need someone to stretch the field opposite Matthews. Wingo would be that dude, but, who knows there.
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Staley can stretch the field opposite Matthews. I could see Mikell in the slot. That's a dangerous trio. We also have Leacock that factors into the equation while these boys are on the hill.
 
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#733
#733
cncchris33 said:
Remind me of where I suggested I had any idea how much effort Tennessee was putting into Wingo. Saying he "isn't worth the effort" is a general statement that provides no indicator of my purview into Tennessee's specific level of effort into recruiting anyone.
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Thought maybe you knew bc you made it sound like we were putting in a lot of effort. I gotcha now tho
 
#734
#734
MarcoVol said:
Thought maybe you knew bc you made it sound like we were putting in a lot of effort. I gotcha now tho
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My apologies if your comment was more innocent than it sounded. It initially came off as snarky and rhetorical, as though you knew I didn't know how much effort Tennessee was currently putting in on Wingo.

To the actual topic, though, I think it's pretty clear we prioritized him early on and put a lot of effort into his recruitment, and have for a couple years, now. I'm not sure if we are still giving that same level of effort given that his recruitment has appeared to potentially shift away from us, but what I was saying is, hypothetically, if I'm Heupel, I'd call it quits with Wingo if I could have Kam Mikell, today. That's a trade I'm willing to make.
 
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#736
#736
cncchris33 said:
My apologies if your comment was more innocent than it sounded. It initially came off as snarky and rhetorical, as though you knew I didn't know how much effort Tennessee was currently putting in on Wingo.

To the actual topic, though, I think it's pretty clear we prioritized him early on and put a lot of effort into his recruitment, and have for a couple years, now. I'm not sure if we are still giving that same level of effort given that his recruitment has appeared to potentially shift away from us, but what I was saying is, hypothetically, if I'm Heupel, I'd call it quits with Wingo if I could have Kam Mikell, today. That's a trade I'm willing to make.
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I guarantee we are putting in some level of “effort” today with regards to wingo. Which amounts to wasted efforts for all intents and purposes.

I’d cut off all effort, and cut off all communication - if that meant landing Kam Mikell.
 
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#737
#737
85SugarVol said:
I guarantee we are putting in some level of “effort” today with regards to wingo. Which amounts to wasted efforts for all intents and purposes.

I’d cut off all effort, and cut off all communication - if that meant landing Kam Mikell.
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I don't believe it helps or hinders. You get who you get. "Wasted effort" is reserved for those with little resources imo.
 
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#738
#738
cncchris33 said:
My apologies if your comment was more innocent than it sounded. It initially came off as snarky and rhetorical, as though you knew I didn't know how much effort Tennessee was currently putting in on Wingo.
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I think tonight's supermoon has everyone on edge.

In the friendliest little town in middle Tennessee, at the Walmart where everyone is normally smiling, jovial, and welcoming, I heard 4 arguments in the parking lot just walking from my car to the entrance. One guy even stopped his 'vette in the middle of traffic to get out had have harsh words with a pedestrian!

That's more unpleasantness than you'd find in a month of midnights at our Waffle House.
 
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#739
#739
butchna said:
I don't believe it helps or hinders. You get who you get. "Wasted effort" is reserved for those with little resources imo.
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It’s likely inconsequential. It was more a theoretical stance.

“Effort” could be as little as a text to a support staff member on his HS team.

Nothing, in the grand scheme of things.
 
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#740
#740
Merklinger and Calvary Day clobbered Johnson (2-4), a fellow Savannah team, 56-0 on Friday night to improve to 6-0. The Tennessee commit completed 7 of 12 pass attempts for 127 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to running once for 30 yards.

- The Athletic

Merklinger is averaging 9.7 yards per carry through 6 games.
 
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#741
#741
#Vol4Life1991 said:
I hope you are right, but look at spillman’s ranking. Dude consistently rose to 95 rating last November. And has dropped to 90 during the offseason when nothing is happening. I think a lot of the time, they change rankings to keep their paying subscribers engaged during the year.
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So, just curious... Why do we hope he's right about Merk getting a5th star? You just made the argument that ranking services are irrational and inconsistent in their rankings. Now we need to care/hope per what they decide?

Will Merk become a better QB if the inconsistent services change his label?
 
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#742
#742
Orange_Crush said:
So, just curious... Why do we hope he's right about Merk getting a5th star? You just made the argument that ranking services are irrational and inconsistent in their rankings. Now we need to care/hope per what they decide?

Will Merk become a better QB if the inconsistent services change his label?
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For the kid himself, most likely. Knowing Nico was the best QB in his class didn’t make us less pissed that ESPN rated him a low 4 star.
 
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#746
#746
It says he plays 3A ball in Georgia but plays against... 5 teams from Savannah? I guess we gotta wait for the playoffs for him to face off against real comp.
 
#747
#747
BigOrangeTrain said:
Gotcha. I was wondering because it seems he never throws more than 12-15 passes. That makes sense though. I thought maybe he was on a team that focuses mainly on the run game.
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Good news is that he’s been a SOLID high school QB since his freshman year, so he’s thrown a lot of passes in his career. In an offense that is very similar to ours as well. RPOs, lots of spreading it out, and mostly shotgun formation. He really does remind me of Hendon Hooker with the way he throws. It’s like he has a pretty good arm, but his feel on the deep throws is phenomenal. I think he’s definitely a 5 star talent, and he will be a solid backup to Nico next year. I think he ends up have a good career at Tennessee.
 
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#748
#748
Volanooga2521 said:
He's super impressive in his highlights. Accurate, moves well within the pocket and can run to escape trouble. Big enough arm. I just hope we can keep him if he's not the starter for 2 years (in '24 and '25). He looks just like a smaller Nico who moves just as well or better.
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The smaller Nico is his brother Madden.

And right now, Merklinger is LIGHT YEARS ahead of Madden.

Nico should have played a lot more by now, and if this keeps up....this Spring, Merklinger will be right there in competition with him.
 
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#749
#749
LittleVol said:
The smaller Nico is his brother Madden.

And right now, Merklinger is LIGHT YEARS ahead of Madden.

Nico should have played a lot more by now, and if this keeps up....this Spring, Merklinger will be right there in competition with him.
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It’ll be a good competition, and honestly I think Madden would be a good pickup for us. I think he would be in the sense that people knows he needs time to develop and learn our system. Tua’s little brother developed into a solid QB for Maryland. I think Madden could be a solid starter for us by his junior year if he’s patient enough for it. It helps that he loves Tennessee and he feels at home with all of our coaches. I think that we could potentially see a QB room of Iamaleava-Merklinger-Iamaleava and then add another solid 2026 QB into the mix. I’m honestly just not feeling great about Mac right now. He’s super talented but his team is 1-6 right now, and he’s started trending a bit towards Alabama. It’s one of those guys I would be good with landing obviously, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he ended up elsewhere.
 
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