Josh Heupel and the Tennessee Volunteers will have a new quarterback under center to begin the 2026 college football season. Last year's starter, Joey Aguilar, exhausted his eligibility and signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent.
As of now, it is an open competition between true freshman Faizon Brandon and redshirt freshman George MacIntyre. With Tennessee beginning its season on Sept. 5 against the Furman Paladins, each has plenty of time to win the spot.
However, as summer workouts begin to ramp up around college football, a leader has emerged. According to CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer, Brandon is picking up momentum.
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“It's continued to look increasingly likely these last couple of months that Brandon could end up being a Day 1 starter for the Vols, sources have told CBS Sports," Zenitz and Hummer wrote. "While Brandon's competition with redshirt freshman George MacIntyre will continue into fall camp, it's clear that Brandon has momentum heading into the summer.”
The 18-year-old is a highly touted prospect for the Volunteers. A member of the 2026 cycle, he is a five-star recruit, the No. 3 quarterback and the No. 9 player in the nation, per Rivals Industry Rankings.
He joins the Volunteers after an impressive career at Grimsley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina. In 45 games, he passed for 7,490 yards, 90 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also rushed for 1,494 yards and 24 touchdowns.
While he may have a lead, the battle is far from over. The biggest test will be fall practices, which generally begin in late July or early August. If he continues to perform well, Brandon could be the first true freshman to start a game for the Volunteers since Nico Iamaleava in 2023.
