When Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar’s eligibility bid for the 2026 season was denied back in February, the fanbase immediately started buzzing about the upcoming quarterback battle between redshirt freshman George MacIntyre and true freshman Faizon Brandon during the offseason.
The two freshman quarterbacks battled it out during spring training camp, but head coach Josh Heupel had no intention of getting anywhere near naming a starter. Instead, Heupel and the coaching staff opted to let the players soak in feedback over the summer before returning to the field during fall camp.
Still, though, questions remain. Brandon is entering his first season of collegiate football, while MacIntyre only has nine passing attempts to his name. There’s little to no in-game experience among the two players, but they were both highly touted prospects on the recruiting cycle.
For obvious reasons, the Vols’ quarterback battle is the biggest lingering question that ESPN has for Tennessee heading into the 2026 season.
“It’s not just the biggest question mark in Knoxville, but arguably one of the biggest in the country right now: Just who will be taking snaps as QB1 for the Vols when they open against Furman on Sept. 5? Entering spring, redshirt freshman George MacIntyre — he of nine career pass attempts — appeared to be the favorite, but five-star recruit Faizon Brandon showed out and now seems to have the edge in the competition. Of course, a lot can happen between spring ball and fall camp, and both QBs figure to have sanded off some rough edges. MacIntyre has a slight edge in experience, but Brandon’s rapid rise has Vols fans dreaming big,” ESPN’s David Hale writes.
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MacIntyre enters the quarterback battle as the most experienced in the room within the Tennessee offense. He was the third-string quarterback a year ago with the Vols, getting the chance to sit back and digest college football and Heupel’s plan of attack. In his time on the field, he completed 7-of-9 passes for 69 yards.
Brandon, meanwhile, enters as a five-star freshman and the No. 3 overall recruit in the nation by 247. He’s had time since high school to learn the playbook, but it’s a different beast adjusting on campus. He hit the ground running in the spring, though, and is poised to be a true threat to win the starting job.
Earlier this week, On3’s Pete Nakos predicted Brandon to win the Vols’ starting job. But it’s been quiet and positive from the Tennessee side of things, and we’ll certainly get more information when the final stages of the battle takes place during fall camp next month.
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