Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel declines to answer key depth chart question ahead of season-opener against Syracuse

UCLA Bruins transfer Joey Aguilar will start at quarterback for the Tennessee Vols on Saturday in the season-opener against the Syracuse Orange.

Tennessee announced last week Aguilar won the Vols' starting quarterback competition over redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and true freshman George MacIntyre.

On Monday, Vols head coach Josh Heupel met with reporters to preview the season-opener and he was asked who the backup quarterback will be for the Vols.

Heupel declined to give an answer.

“You guys will find out on Saturday, I guess, when the depth chart comes out," said Heupel.

The feeling is that Merklinger, due to his year experience of in Heupel's offense, would be the first quarterback in the game if something happens to Aguilar.

MacIntyre, however, had a solid fall camp and impressed folks with his accuracy and even-keeled mentality.

The most likely scenario is that Tennessee's depth chart will list Merklinger or MacIntyre as the backup to Aguilar. And if that's the case, I'd expect to see both quarterbacks play if Aguilar suffers an injury and misses an extended period of time.