Faizon Brandon can do something George MacIntyre can’t, and it may have already decided Tennessee’s QB battle
Redshirt freshman George MacIntyre and true freshman Faizon Brandon are competing to be the Tennessee Vols’ starting quarterback in 2026.
Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel likely won’t name a starting quarterback until late August.
Heupel, who is entering his sixth season at Tennessee, was careful at SEC Media Days this week to not offer hints about whether redshirt freshman George MacIntyre or true freshman Faizon Brandon is ahead in the quarterback battle. He also pointed out numerous times that the quarterback who operates the offense at a high level and with a competitive edge will be the quarterback who wins the job.
“You have to learn how to take care and manage the game,” said Heupel when asked by AtoZ Sports’ Rob Gregson about what he’s looking for in his starting quarterback. “Catastrophic plays are the difference in this league. When you play so many one-possession games, it comes down to taking care of the football at times.
“But they have to play with a competitive edge. … You have to have complete control and command of what we’re doing offensively. You’ve got to understand protections — you’ve got to be able to check and adjust.”
All of the things Heupel mentioned are obviously non-negotiables for a quarterback in the SEC.
Ultimately, though, the Vols need a playmaker at quarterback.
Faizon Brandon’s ability to run may decide who wins Tennessee’s quarterback battle
Tennessee’s best offensive season under Heupel came in 2022 with Hendon Hooker under center. The explosive plays in the passing game received a lot of the attention that year, but a big reason why the Vols won 10 games in the regular season was because of Hooker’s legs.
Hooker kept a lot of drives alive because of his ability to turn a broken play into positive yardage.
Over the years, we’ve seen Tennessee get gashed by quarterbacks who can pick up a first down with their legs in third-and-long situations. That’s an element that Tennessee needs from its quarterback this fall. It’s not something that Heupel wants to be the focal point of the offense, but it’s a trait that’s a must-have for a quarterback in order to win 9 or 10 games in the SEC in the regular season.
Heupel admitted this week that MacIntyre isn’t someone Tennessee will use often in the run game, while Brandon could be.
“He’s not a guy you’re going to use much in the quarterback run game,” said Heupel of MacIntyre to ESPN.
“Faizon has grabbed onto our offense,” continued Heupel. “He’s grown a bunch on defensive understanding as well, but thicker, stronger body type 220 and change, close to 225, and you can use him in the quarterback run game at times. So we’ve never majored in that, but it’s been a part at times with who we’ve had.”
Tennessee doesn’t need a quarterback who runs for 100 yards a game, they just need a quarterback who can move the chains with his legs when nothing is there on third down. And Brandon is the best option to do that.
Brandon’s legs also give Tennessee another option in the red zone.
“I don’t think at the five yard line you’re just snapping it to George and having a couple of lead blockers and letting him run around the right edge,” said VolQuest’s Austin Price on 104.5 The Zone’s Ramon and Will this week. “That’s not who George is.”
Brandon still has to operate the offense cleanly and efficiently to win this job in August. But if he and MacIntyre are operating at a similar level, I think Brandon’s legs and size will be the “tiebreaker” in this competition.