KNOXVILLE, TN – March 16, 2026 – Quarterback Faizon Brandon #11 of the Tennessee Volunteers during spring practice on the Robert E. White indoor field in the Anderson Training Center in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics

Tennessee football is kicking off a three-man quarterback battle during spring camp as it looks to find the next star signal caller under Josh Heupel. The three options are redshirt-freshman George MacIntyre, true freshman Faizon Brandon and Colorado transfer Ryan Staub.

With spring camp underway, Brooks Austin of The Film Guy Network broke down the limited film from MacIntyre at the college level and MacIntyre and Brandon’s high school film. Afterward, he came to a conclusion about which quarterback he would take at this point.

Austin sided with Brandon due to his ability to limit turnovers and make backside reads. He said the latter is particularly important if Heupel keeps the same style of offense as 2025.

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“If I have to bet on what I know, what I see and what I know, I’m going to bet on the guy that’s got a 9-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio as opposed to the kid who can’t seem to stop turning the ball over,” Austin said. “Now, the wide-choice system, pretty turnover-averse. Doesn’t really have a ton of it. Like I said, it’s basically built off of can we throw it outside the numbers accurately? Are we great down the field? And George is great down the field.

“But, Jonathan, what if Tennessee wants to remain that pro-style mesh blend, because it looked great last year offensively. It was just a defensive issue, I felt like. But offensively, they were the best, complete version of themselves they’ve been since maybe 2022, in my opinion. If we want to remain that NFL kind of pro-style blend with wide-choice concepts, then we have to have somebody who can get to the backside of reads, and that’s probably for my money going to be Faizon Brandon.”

Tennessee is just four practices into its spring slate. The Vols will be back in action on Monday as they continue to work toward the annual Orange & White Game.

Heupel already said he doesn’t expect to name a starter after this slate of practices, though. He thinks it’s important to let the group improve from the spring slate and go into fall camp fully battling for the position.

 

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