Matt Johnson
The Tennessee Volunteers were thrust into quarterback uncertainty last year when Nico Iamaleava transferred and the team replaced him with Joey Aguilar. Now that spring practices are underway in Knoxville, there’s new uncertainty and a new position battle.
According to Pete Nakos of On3.com, transfer quarterback Ryan Staub seems to effectively be out of the mix to be named the Volunteers starting quarterback. Tennessee likes what he’s shown in practices with the third-team offense, but he’s distinctly behind George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon.
Read More: Elite Eight Predictions, including Tennessee vs Michigan
Aguilar attempted to return to Tennessee for the 2026 season, but his preliminary injunction against the NCAA was denied. This resulted in head coach Josh Heupel moving forward with MacIntyre and Brandon as the two competitors to be his starting quarterback in Week 1.
MacIntyre, an On3 five-star recruit from the 2025 recruiting class, would still seem to be the favorite. He’s already spent a season learning Heupel’s system and he did receive a few snaps as a true freshman against East Tennessee State and New Mexico State.
A Tennessee native, the 6-foot-6 quarterback’s experience in the system has “flashed this spring.” He had his share of ups and downs during a scrimmage on Thursday, including multiple interceptions.
While experience matters, Brandon is also making a bit of a name for himself in Knoxville. A consensus five-star quarterback from the 2026 class, the 6-foot-4 passer reportedly “looks the part” and his raw talent is standing out.
Nakos notes that a decision from Heupel on who will be the Volunteers starting quarterback in 2026 likely won’t come until August. It’s also possible that Tennessee keeps the decision in-house until days before its season-opening matchup at Neyland Stadium against Furman.
Realistically, both Brandon and MacIntyre will likely see the field in Week 1 against Furman based on how heavily Tennessee is favored. It seems likely that MacIntyre’s familiarity makes him the favorite right now, but Brandon is firmly in the mix and will likely make at least one start this year.
