KNOXVILLE — Tennessee set program records during Saturday’s 72-17 shellacking of East Tennessee State University with 100 offensive plays and with 41 first downs.
A good time was had by all in orange, and that included second-team quarterback Jake Merklinger and third-team quarterback George MacIntyre. The two candidates who came up short against graduate transfer Joey Aguilar in the race to start for the Volunteers combined on 15-of-21 passing for 170 yards and two touchdowns.
“Those guys fought hard and competed in a positive way throughout the course of training camp,” Vols coach Josh Heupel said. “They got an opportunity to play today and did a good job. They were decisive and accurate with the football. When they got in the game, both Jake and George had big scrambles and had good pocket movement that extended drives.
“All in all, it was a really good performance by them.”
Merklinger, a redshirt freshman, was 9-of-14 passing for 118 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing twice for 17 yards. His 1-yard touchdown pass to Chris Brazzell II and 7-yard scoring toss to tight end Jack Van Dorselaer were the first aerial scores of his college career.
More importantly, Merklinger helped Tennessee extend a 48-7 halftime lead to 62-10 entering the fourth quarter.
“I think it’s important for your No. 2 quarterback to get an opportunity to go function and operate, because you don’t know when he’s going to be called upon,” Heupel said. “He’s one play away, so he’s got to be able to operate and get some flow of what it would feel like.”
MacIntyre, who was competing for Brentwood Academy this time last year, was 6-of-7 passing for 52 yards in his collegiate debut.
“George did a really good job and was decisive and made some plays,” Heupel said. “He scrambled outside the pocket, and I thought he handled himself and executed at a very high level.”
Praising Aguilar
Aguilar has won over a multitude of Vols fans in recent weeks, and on Saturday he won over new ETSU coach Will Healy.
“He’s a really impressive leader, and I think that’s what this place was craving,” Healy said. “They wanted a guy they can relate to and a guy they respected and a guy who worked really hard for them, and it seems to be what they got.”
Start the oven
Tennessee kicker Max Gilbert has an NIL deal with Moonshine Mountain Cookies, and if Gilbert makes a field goal 50 yards or longer, Moonshine Mountain will give out free cookies to customers the following Monday.
With 10:43 remaining in Saturday’s game, Gilbert connected on a 53-yarder.
“That actually was on my mind, which really isn’t a great thing,” Gilbert said. “It’s not something to be focused on, but I was going out there, and I was like, ‘The ball is on the 35. This could be the promo.’
“It was an awesome feeling, and shout-out to (snapper) Bennett Brady and (holder) Jackson Ross for the operation. Now, everybody go to Moonshine Mountain Cookies on Monday.”
Gentle showing
Former McCallie School defensive menace Carson Gentle was in for the opening kickoff and played on the defensive line in the second quarter, which is the earliest the redshirt freshman has entered the game on defense.
“He’s smart, tough and competitive, and he’s developing into a really good leader,” Heupel said. “He’s versatile, because you’ve seen him on some special teams. He’s a guy who you know exactly what you’re getting from every single day.
“He continues to grow and develop and get better every single day.”
The Vols did not have Daevin Hobbs, Jaxson Moi and Tyree Weathersby on their defensive front Saturday with Weathersby having played most of last weekend’s opener.
“Just seeing that is great,” senior defensive end Tyre West said when asked about Gentle. “It’s nice knowing that after the first group and the second group that we have more people who can do things and are not scared to do things. They’re always coming in with confidence.”
Odds and ends
Tennessee receiver Joakim Dodson, a freshman from Baylor School, had a 27-yard catch in the third quarter. … Dodson and Amari Jefferson, another former Baylor receiving standout, each made his debut for the Vols. … Heupel on the Vols playing a second straight game without five-star freshman right tackle David Sanders Jr.: “We anticipated David being ready, but ultimately the medical staff made the decision that it probably wasn’t the best move to play him today.” … The Vols have yet to allow a sack this season.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.