The Tennessee Volunteers entered the 2026 offseason with a number of roster question marks on both sides of the ball. They managed to answer a number of them, particularly on defense. With the additions of Chaz Coleman, Amare Campbell, Qua Moss, and several others, Tennessee fans can be cautiously optimistic about that side of the ball going into the spring.

However, Tennessee’s biggest miss by a mile was at quarterback. The Vols were in strongly on the two top names in former Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt and Alabama’s Ty Simpson. The Vols got Leavitt on campus for a two-day visit and made efforts to get Simpson to consider bypassing the NFL and come to Knoxville.

Unfortunately, the Vols failed to land either Leavitt or Simpson or any other potential impact starter in the transfer portal, ultimately pulling in Colorado’s Ryan Staub, who should serve as a slightly experienced option at a position that had almost none. But the race to start should be between two freshman – George MacIntyre and incoming five-star Faizon Brandon.

Still, despite their honest efforts, CBS Sports’ Carter Bahns put out his list of biggest roster questions across the nation as the transfer portal period comes to an end. Tennessee made the list at quarterback, which is not surprising.

However, it was what Bahns said that was head scratching: that the Vols didn’t pursue the QB position more aggressively.

CBS Sports’ Carter Bahns questions Vols’ supposed decision not to pursue a transfer QB more aggressively, even though they really did

This is what Bahns had to say about Tennessee’s transfer portal QB pursuit:

“One of the biggest surprises of the transfer cycle was Tennessee’s decision not to pursue a quarterback more aggressively. If Joey Aguilar does not win his eligibility lawsuit in February, the Volunteers will be left choosing between George MacIntyre, Faizon Brandon or incoming transfer Ryan Staub.

“Staub started just one game at Colorado, while MacIntyre and Brandon are former blue-chip recruits who have yet to see the field in a meaningful capacity. Heupel’s decision not to spend on a plug-and-play starter may signal confidence in his young options being ready for a larger role, but it remains a gamble in an era when experience is often valued over upside at quarterback.” – Carter Bahns, CBSSports.com

How much more aggressive could they have been? They wined and dined the top portal option in Leavitt and tried to get a player who could find himself as a first-round draft pick in Simpson to come to town. There aren’t too many true plug-and-play starters out there, and you can only go after so many.

On3 Sports’ insider Chris Low also confirmed last week on WNML that Tennessee’s priority was indeed on landing an experienced quarterback from the portal.

“They did not get an established quarterback,” Low said. “I think that’s one where, if you had gone and sat in those meetings in November, December where I can promise you that was at the top of their priority list, is to bring a guy who played and started. Because what’s the model now if you’re going to a championship? [Experience] at the quarterback position.”

So, while Tennessee didn’t land an impact transfer at the game’s most important position, it wasn’t for a lack of trying, and implying the same is just off base.

And there are still plenty of unknowns ahead this offseason. Joey Agular is still fighting in court to come back for one more season. And, well, perhaps MacIntyre and/or Brandon can flat-out play.

In any event, Tennessee made it to the College Football Playoff in 2024 with a defense and overall toughness that carried them there. With a new strength coach in former Hoosier Derek Owings and a rebuilt defense, perhaps that formula could be in play again for 2026 regardless of how things shake out at the QB position.

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