Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel sends strong message to the 3 quarterbacks battling for the starting job in 2025

The first question that Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel was asked in Atlanta on Tuesday, before he took the main stage at SEC Media Days, was about UT's quarterback situation. 

And Heupel gave the response that most Vols fans were expecting him to give. 

"Who's your starting quarterback?" asked VolQuest's Brent Hubbs. 

"We'll find out," said Heupel with a laugh. 

UCLA transfer Joey Aguilar, redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger, and true freshman George MacIntyre will battle during fall camp for the Vols' starting quarterback job. 

Aguilar has the most experience, Merklinger has the most time in Heupel's offense, and MacIntyre might be the most talented. 

All three, though, will have an opportunity to win the job. 

"It's a competition every single day," said Heupel when asked about his message to the quarterbacks fighting for the starting job. "That's how you handle yourself. That's how you handle success. It's how you handle a bad play. It's the mastering in control and command of what we're doing offensively.

"All three of those guys know that they're going to get their opportunities. Being urgent in your preparation, going out and competing, cutting it loose, and going and playing ball [is important]."

Fall camp kicks off on July 30. From there, the Vols will have month until they kick off the season on August 30 against Syracuse. 

In other words, this quarterback battle, at least when it comes to who starts in Week One, will be a sprint, not a marathon.