The Tennessee Volunteers are staring down a pivotal offseason as they try to lock in their quarterback for 2026. With Joey Aguilar leaving and a lot of uncertainty swirling around other key players, Coach Josh Heupel and his staff are combing through the transfer portal for answers.
This blog post takes a closer look at Tennessee’s quarterback situation. Let’s see who might step up and lead the team next season.
Current Quarterback Situation at Tennessee
Right now, the Volunteers are in flux when it comes to their quarterback roster. Joey Aguilar, the current starter, has used up his eligibility—unless something wild happens with the Diego Pavia lawsuit challenging NCAA rules.
Time’s almost up on that front, so the Vols need to start thinking seriously about other options.
Jake Merklinger’s Uncertain Future
Redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger looks likely to enter the transfer portal. He hasn’t said anything official yet, but if he leaves, the quarterback depth chart takes a big hit.
Tennessee will really need a reliable replacement if that happens.
Freshman Prospects and Risks
Freshman George MacIntyre, a highly touted recruit, barely saw the field this season. That raises real questions about whether he’s ready to start.
Five-star freshman Faizon Brandon is set to enroll in January. He’s extremely talented, but handing the keys to a true freshman in the SEC? That’s risky, especially if the Vols are aiming for the College Football Playoff.
Potential Transfer Portal Targets
If Aguilar can’t come back and Merklinger does hit the portal, Tennessee needs a transfer QB just to have enough bodies. The big question is whether they go for a guaranteed starter or someone to compete with MacIntyre and Brandon.
Here are a few quarterbacks who plan to enter the portal when it opens January 2. Any of them could end up in Knoxville:
Brendan Sorsby: The Dual-Threat Option
Brendan Sorsby, a three-star recruit from 2022, has really outperformed expectations as a dual-threat quarterback. He spent two years at Indiana, including a redshirt, then started for Cincinnati the last couple seasons.
Sorsby has thrown for 7,208 yards, 60 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions in college. He’s also run for 1,305 yards and racked up 22 rushing touchdowns.
In 2025 at Cincinnati, he put up 2,800 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, and just five picks. That was good enough for second in the Big 12 in passer rating.
He also ran for 580 yards and nine scores. Sorsby seems like a great fit for Tennessee—he’s accurate, doesn’t throw many interceptions, and can move.
Last summer, he even said he wanted to play at Neyland Stadium. That makes him a pretty compelling candidate for the Vols.
DJ Lagway: The High-Risk, High-Reward Prospect
DJ Lagway was a five-star recruit and ranked No. 2 among 2024 quarterbacks by 247Sports Composite. At Florida, he flashed elite talent but also struggled with inconsistency, turnovers, and injuries.
Lagway completed 62% of his passes for 4,179 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions in two seasons with the Gators. He added 237 rushing yards and a touchdown.
In 2025, he threw for 2,264 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions, actually leading the SEC in picks. If Coach Heupel can rein him in and cut down the turnovers, Lagway could be an intriguing project.
He still has two years of eligibility left, so there’s potential for a long-term solution here.
Dylan Raiola: The Talented but Injured Star
Dylan Raiola, a five-star and the No. 3 quarterback in the 2024 class, spent the last two seasons at Nebraska. He broke his fibula in November, so any team interested will have to weigh that injury.
Raiola completed 69% of his passes for 4,819 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions in two seasons. In 2025, he hit 72% completions for 2,000 yards, 18 touchdowns, and six picks.
He’s a five-star talent and seemed to finally click as an accurate, productive passer this year. Raiola still has two years left if he can bounce back from injury.
Kenny Minchey: The Local Talent
Kenny Minchey grew up in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and was a four-star recruit in 2023 out of Pope John Paul II. He originally committed to Pitt, but ended up signing with Notre Dame.
Minchey showed flashes at Notre Dame but never really got a shot at the starting job. In three seasons, including a redshirt, he completed 23 of 29 passes for 212 yards and ran for 96 yards and two touchdowns.
He’s only played 10 games and hasn’t started, so he’s short on experience. Still, he has two years of eligibility left.
If Tennessee brought him in from the portal, he wouldn’t be a guaranteed starter. He’d likely compete with MacIntyre and Brandon and help fill out the quarterback group.
Conclusion
The Tennessee Volunteers face a real crossroads as they try to sort out their quarterback situation for the 2026 season. Joey Aguilar’s eligibility is still up in the air.
Jake Merklinger probably heads for the transfer portal, which throws another wrench in the plans. Coach Josh Heupel and his staff have to look at every possible option—no easy answers here.
Names like Brendan Sorsby, DJ Lagway, Dylan Raiola, and Kenny Minchey keep popping up. Each brings something different to the table, and honestly, it’s tough to say who’d fit best in Knoxville.
If you want to dig deeper into Tennessee’s quarterback drama or see more about possible transfers, check out the full article on Knox News.
- Schools Covered
- College Football Articles
- Men's College Basketball Articles
- Men's College Soccer Articles
- Women's College Basketball Articles
- Olympic Athlete Articles
- Men's College Baseball Articles
- College Sports Media Professionals Articles
- Hall of Fame Member Articles
- Former College Player Articles
- Game Previews
