There’s one question no one is asking after recent reports indicate true freshman Faizon Brandon is leading Tennessee’s QB battle
The Tennessee Volunteers’ starting QB competition is about to get going again as players are set to report on May for the start of summer workouts. It’s not fall camp, but it’s an important time in the QB battle.
Recent reports have indicated that true freshman Faizon Brandon has a lead over redshirt freshman George MacIntyre in the Tennessee Vols’ starting quarterback battle as we near the end of May.
“[I] had a chance to talk with some of the guys, some of the coaches, this week over there on campus,” said On3’s Chris Low last week on Rocky Top Insider’s The RTI Low-Down. “I know there’s a lot of attention on the quarterback. Is it going to be Brandon? Is it going to be George MacIntyre? I think Brandon is the guy unless he does not play well in preseason — if he just has a bad camp — or if MacIntyre just plays lights out. I think coming out of the spring, the way I would put it is Brandon has positioned himself nicely to be the starter. He still has to go lock it down.”
Longtime Vols insider Tony Basilio said MacIntyre “looked like an unplayable player in the spring,” while OutKick’s Trey Wallace suggested during an appearance on 104.5 The Zone’s The Buck Reising Show that MacIntyre may need a “Hail Mary” to win the job.
“What’s Tennessee doing with their quarterback position?” said Wallace. “Is this going to be the Faizon thing or is this going to be the MacIntyre thing? From what I keep hearing, it’s probably going to be the Faizon thing. The term ‘Hail Mary’ was thrown out to me the other day in regards to MacIntyre getting the job. He had a year and a half head start on the freshman to get in and win over the locker room, and learn the playbook.”
The one question that no one is asking about Tennessee’s quarterback competition
VolQuest’s Austin Price pointed out this week on WNML’s Josh and Swain that nothing has been settled in this quarterback battle, and MacIntyre can still win the job.
“(MacIntyre) probably took a few too many sacks in the spring, and part of that’s not on him, but part of it probably was,” said Price. “If he gets the ball out on time (in fall camp), and shows he can run the offense efficiently, and does all of that, then I think he can still potentially win Tennessee’s quarterback job. I don’t think it’s done that it’s Faizon Brandon.”
Despite Price’s comments, the prevailing narrative this summer will be that Brandon is the guy to beat. Plenty can change over the next few months, so we’ll see how it plays out, but the perception will be that it’s his job to lose.
Here’s what I think is an interesting question: Where does Colorado transfer quarterback Ryan Staub stand in all of this?
I’m not suggesting Staub is in the mix to win the starting job, but could he pass MacIntyre as the No. 2 quarterback?
MacIntyre obviously has more upside, but Staub has an edge in experience. The former Colorado quarterback, who has two career starts, has completed 53 passes for 681 yards and four touchdowns in his college career (MacIntyre attempted nine passes in garbage time as a true freshman last season).
Staub has some moxie about him. He probably doesn’t have a big future in the NFL, but he can move the chains and make some plays at the college level in the right system. If Staub is quickly picking up Tennessee’s system, I wonder if he could be in a position to pass MacIntyre on the depth chart?
It’s too early to know for sure, but it’s a scenario that I think could be in play — especially if MacIntyre has truly looked “unplayable” as Basilio suggested.