Key Highlights
- @UConnFootball," Merklinger wrote on X. Merklinger spent two seasons at Tennessee but barely played and failed to win the starting job after a 2025 competition with Joey Aguilar. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMerklinger played six games and went 19-of-33 passing for 221 yards and two touchdowns. In 2024, Merklinger was a third-string freshman when Nico Iamaleava started.
- In 2025, he competed for the starting job but lost to Aguilar. By the end of the 2025 season, Merklinger was neck and neck with MacIntyre for the backup job.
- And it didn’t appear that Merklinger would factor in the starting job in 2026. Now Merklinger will get a fresh start at UConn.
- He was a four-star recruit in the 2024 class out of Savannah, Georgia.
- He has three seasons of eligibility remaining. Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter.