Volunteer Country

What is Next For Tennessee Football Freshman George MacIntyre?

What does Tennessee's decision to make Joey Aguilar the starting QB do for George MacIntyre?
Caleb Sisk|
Tennessee quarterback George MacIntyre (16) speaks to the media during football media day, in Knoxville, Tennessee, July 29, 2025.
Tennessee quarterback George MacIntyre (16) speaks to the media during football media day, in Knoxville, Tennessee, July 29, 2025. | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Tennessee Volunteers

The Tennessee Volunteers made their decision on Sunday night that they would be starting UCLA Bruins and Appalachian State transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar. While many can view this as a smart move, some can question if the move was the correct one. The Vols were forced to add a player through the portal at the position, as going into the season with two scholarship QBs would be playing with fire following Nico Iamaleava's transfer portal decision hours prior to the Orange and White game.

In the Orange and White game, both Jake Merklinger and MacIntyre got reps at QB, and one could argue that the Tennessee football true freshman (MacIntyre) had the better performance. In fact, his performance did enough to make fans question whether he was the QB choice following the game.

The Vols held an open competition, and Aguilar won the job, but what does that mean for MacIntyre? MacIntyre will now likely redshirt, which is possibly the best-case scenario for the Tennessee Volunteers. This will likely be a two-man show between Aguilar and Merklinger this season, but don't think for one second Josh Heupel and his staff won't burn the redshirt if they need to.

MacIntyre will still see the field, and fans will make sure to stay glued to the TV, as they want to see how well the former five-star QB looks in the fall compared to his solid performance in the Spring.

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Caleb Sisk
CALEB SISK

Caleb Sisk is a talented sports journalist from the state of Georgia. Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Sisk's passion for sports grew. Bringing years of recruiting coverage experience, he has been named a National Recruiting Reporter and covers various college sites on the On SI network. He takes pride in covering recruiting and has been featured by numerous companies for his excellent coverage and knowledge. He has also spent time at other companies, including Rivals, where he covered the Tennessee Volunteers.

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