{{Short description|American football player (born 2005)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox college football player | name = Jake Merklinger | image = | caption = | school = UConn Huskies | currentnumber = | currentposition = Quarterback | class = {{Redshirt}} Freshman | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2005|8|31}} | birth_place = | heightft = 6 | heightin = 3 | weight_lb = 215 |bowlgames = | highlights = | highschool = Calvary Day School (Savannah, Georgia) | pastschools = * Tennessee (2024–2025) * UConn (2026–present) | espn = 5079531 }}
'''Jacob Tyler Merklinger''' (born August 31, 2005) is an American college football quarterback for the UConn Huskies. He played previously for the Tennessee Volunteers.
==Early life== Merklinger attended Calvary Day School. As a junior, he completed 67 percent of his passes for 1,987 yards, 32 touchdowns and two interceptions and rushed for 283 yards and four touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sparks |first=Adam |date=March 20, 2023 |title=4-star quarterback Jake Merklinger commits to Tennessee football in 2024 class |url=https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/football/2023/03/30/tennessee-football-gets-commitment-from-4-star-quarterback-jake-merklinger/70059311007/ |access-date=April 12, 2025 |website=Knoxville News Sentinel}}</ref> As a senior, Merklinger threw for 3,028 yards and 38 touchdowns against two interceptions and added 439 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Crowell |first1=Evan |date=April 5, 2025 |title=Jake Merklinger Taking Strides In Year Two |url=https://www.si.com/college/tennessee/football/jake-merklinger-taking-strides-in-year-two |access-date=April 12, 2025 |work=Tennessee Volunteers on SI |publisher=SI.com}}</ref> He finished his high school career with a 42–10 record, tallying 145 total touchdowns, amassing 113 through the air and 32 on the ground.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Paschall |first1=David |title=QB Jake Merklinger fitting in quickly with the Vols |url=https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2024/mar/28/qb-jake-merklinger-fitting-in-quickly-with-the/ |website=Chattanooga Times Free Press |date=March 28, 2024 |access-date=April 12, 2025}}</ref>
Merklinger was rated as a four-star recruit{{by who|date=May 2026}} and committed to play college football for the Tennessee Volunteers over offers from schools such as Georgia, Michigan State, and North Carolina.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Baumgartner |first1=Blake |date=March 30, 2023 |title=Four-star QB prospect Jake Merklinger commits to Tennessee |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/36004964/four-star-qb-prospect-jake-merklinger-commits-tennessee |access-date=April 12, 2025 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Wilson |first1=Mike |title=Why Jake Merklinger could play as freshman quarterback for Tennessee football in 2024 |url=https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/football/2024/07/31/jake-merklinger-tennessee-football-quarterback-nico-iamaleava-backup/72452936007/ |website=Knoxville News Sentinel |date=July 31, 2024 |access-date=April 12, 2025}}</ref>
==College career== As a freshman in 2024, Merklinger appeared in two games, where he completed six of nine pass attempts for 48 yards and rushed for 22 yards.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Patrick |date=March 24, 2025 |title=Why there’s a ‘different feel’ for QB Jake Merklinger in his second year at Tennessee |url=https://247sports.com/college/tennessee/article/jake-merklinger-tennessee-vols-why-theres-different-feel-for-qb-in-his-second-year-247576831/ |access-date=April 12, 2025 |website=247Sports}}</ref>
===Statistics=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Season ! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="3"| Games ! colspan="8"| Passing ! colspan="5"| Rushing |- ! {{abbr|GP|Games played}} !! {{abbr|GS|Games started}} !! {{abbr|Record|Record as a starter}} !! {{abbr|Cmp|Passes completed}}!! {{abbr|Att|Passes attempted}}!! {{abbr|Pct|Completion percentage}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Passing yards}}!! {{abbr|Y/A|Yards per passing attempt}}!! {{abbr|TD|Passing touchdowns}} !! {{abbr|Int|Interceptions}} !! {{abbr|Rtg|Passer rating}} !! {{abbr|Att|Rushing attempts}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Rushing yards}} !! {{abbr|Avg|Yards per rushing attempt}} !! {{abbr|TD|Rushing touchdowns}} |- ! 2024!! Tennessee | 2 || 0 || — || 6 || 9 || '''66.7''' || 48 || 5.3 || 0 || 0 || 111.5 || '''7''' || '''22''' || 3.1 || 0 |- ! 2025!! Tennessee | '''4'''|| 0 || — || '''13'''|| '''24'''|| 54.2 || '''173''' || '''7.2''' || '''2''' || 0 || '''142.2''' || 4 || 16 || '''4.0''' || 0 |- ! colspan="2"| [https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/jake-merklinger-1.html Career]!! 6 !! 0 !! 0–0 !! 18 !! 33 !! 57.6 !! 221 !! 6.7 !! 2 !! 0 !! 133.8 !! 11 !! 38 !! 3.5 !! 0 |}
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://uconnhuskies.com/sports/football/roster/jake-merklinger/15658 UConn Huskies bio] *[https://utsports.com/sports/football/roster/jake-merklinger/22022 Tennessee Volunteers bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Merklinger, Jake}} Category:Living people Category:2005 births Category:Players of American football from Savannah, Georgia Category:American football quarterbacks Category:Tennessee Volunteers football players Category:UConn Huskies football players