‘It’s not from a lack of effort’ – Vols insider shuts down rumor about Tennessee QB George MacIntyre
There are some concerns about Tennessee Vols quarterback George MacIntyre’s weight.
There’s a very real chance that rising redshirt freshman George MacIntyre is the Tennessee Vols’ starting quarterback in 2026.
After failing to land a top transfer quarterback — the Vols made a strong run at Arizona State transfer Sam Leavitt before he signed with the LSU Tigers — Tennessee is poised to go into spring practice with MacIntyre, incoming five-star signee Faizon Brandon, and Colorado Buffaloes transfer Ryan Staub as the program’s top three quarterback options.
MacIntyre only has nine career pass attempts in college, but he’s the favorite to win the job due to his one year of experience in Josh Heupel’s offensive system.
There are concerns, however, that come with starting MacIntyre.
Beyond his inexperience, there’s also the question of whether he can hold up against SEC defenses for a full season.
MacIntyre was listed at 182 pounds when he committed to Tennessee in early 2024. He’s currently listed on Tennessee’s official website at 195 pounds.
Vols insider shares insight on George MacIntyre’s weight
There are some fans who have questioned whether MacIntyre has done all he can to add quality weight to his 6-foot-6 frame since arriving at Tennessee a year ago.
Essentially, some fans have suggested that MacIntyre isn’t taking nutrition seriously enough.
VolQuest’s Austin Price joined WNML’s Josh and Swain on Wednesday and quickly dispelled the notion that MacIntyre isn’t trying to put on weight.
“I think George has to continue to really throw on the weight,” said Price. “Throw on the carbs. Just eat, eat, eat. In talking to him a lot over the last few weeks, it’s not from a lack of effort. He tries to eat everything in sight, but he does have some dietary restrictions because of some allergies. And so that’s where things get a little more difficult. It’s not as simple as just eat, eat, eat.
“So he’s certainly working to do that. I think, in a perfect world, if he could get up to 210 or 215 pounds by the start of the season, that would be a big deal. And we’ll kind of see where things go from there. His ability to play quarterback doesn’t hinge on his weight. George can sit back there in a clean pocket and be just as good as anybody….You’re going to take some hits. And that’s the part that people are fearful of — can he take the beating [and] the pounding of playing in this league week after week after week?”
According a report from Price, Tennessee hired Kansas Director of Sports Nutrition Katie O’Connor on Wednesday to lead the football nutrition program.
O’Connor’s first big task will be finding a way to help MacIntyre add 15 or 20 pounds over the next seven months.
Tennessee Volunteers News
Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart leaves no doubt how he feels about the Tennessee Vols
Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs haven’t lost to the Tennessee Vols since 2016.
