Matt Johnson
The expectation coming out of the offseason was that George MacIntyre would be the Tennessee Volunteers‘ starting quarterback in Week 1. Recent developments now suggest things are about to get very interesting in Knoxville this summer.
Pete Nakos of On3.com reported from SEC spring meetings that sources around the program have indicated true freshman Faizon Brandon has put himself in a position to “truly compete” for the starting job.
There was only one given in the Volunteers’ starting quarterback battle as of a few weeks ago. Colorado transfer Ryan Staub would be Tennessee’s third-string quarterback in 2026, as evidenced by the fact that he handled a majority of the third-team reps in the spring.
MacIntyre at least had the early edge heading into the spring. Rated by 247 Sports as the 19th-best quarterback in the country out of high school in 2025, he spent this past season learning Josh Heupel’s system. While he’s only attempted 9 collegiate passes, he has at least had firsthand experience with the higher speeds that come with playing at this level and in the SEC.
In recent weeks, though, Heupel has been offering a lot of praise for Brandon’s development in his first few months on campus. Talent was never the question with the true freshman quarterback; it was all about his decision-making and how he adjusted to the system and speeds at Tennessee.
With the summer fast approaching, Brandon is now reportedly in a real position where he could start in Week 1 at Neyland Stadium against Furman. Even if he doesn’t draw the start, it’s practically a given that he’ll see the field in that three-week stretch against Furman, Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State.
