Tennessee starting QB 2024: Who will start for Josh Heupel's team in Week 10?

The No. 7 ranked Tennessee Volunteers are one of the in-form teams in the country. The Volunteers have amassed a 6-1 record to start the season and are fresh off an impressive win over the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Tennessee has beaten all three ranked opponents in 2024, and it looks well-equipped for a deep postseason run. Ahead of their game against the Kentucky Wildcats, let's take a look at their starting quarterback and quarterback depth chart.

Tennessee's starting QB against the Kentucky Wildcats in Week 10

Nico Iamaleava is the starting quarterback for the Tennessee Volunteers. Iamaleava has started all seven games for the Volunteers in the 2024 college football season. The Long Beach-born star has a stat line of 1,413 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and four interceptions in 2024.

Iamaleava started his college football career as the backup to Joe Milton in the 2023 CFB season. His first start for the Volunteers was in the Citrus Bowl against the Iowa Hawkeyes. In the win, he had a stat line of 151 passing yards, one passing TD, and three rushing TDs.

He was named the starter for the 2024 season and hasn't looked back since. Iamaleava has led the Volunteers to a 6-1 record, and the team is looking great heading into the business end of the season.

Tennessee Volunteers' QB depth chart

Nico Iamaleava isn't the only top-notch quarterback on the Tennessee roster. He is joined by backups Gaston Moore and Jake Merklinger. Gaston Moore is a redshirt senior and the team's primary backup.

After transferring from UCF, Moore served as the Volunteers' third-string quarterback in 2022 and 2023. He has played in 11 college football games and can count two SEC Academic Honor Roll nods as personal achievements.

Freshman Jake Merklinger is Tennessee's third-string quarterback. He joined the Volunteers after an impressive stint at Calvary Day High School. He made his Tennessee debut against Chattanooga and looked decent in the season opener, which coincided with his 19th birthday. Merklinger is widely viewed among coaching circles as Iamaleava's eventual successor.