Tennessee coach Josh Heupel was dealt a huge blow when veteran quarterback Joey Aguilar’s bid for an extra season of eligibility was denied in February. Heupel failed to bring in his prime quarterback targets via the transfer portal, only adding former Colorado Buffaloes backup Ryan Staub to the Vols’ QB room.
Heupel will have to rely on either Staub, five-star freshman Faizon Brandon, or redshirt freshman George MacIntyre next season.
Why an Anonymous Coach Is Pessimistic About Tennessee’s Quarterbacks
In an interview with Athlon Magazine on Monday, an anonymous coach detailed his pessimism about Tennessee’s tenuous quarterback situation and the Vols’ reduced chances of success next season.
“Having the [Joey] Aguilar deal not go their way is a good thing for the SEC. They’re unproven at quarterback,” the anonymous coach said.
“It’s a pivotal year for them to succeed. I don’t think they’ll be better.”
Even after an intense spring practice battle between the prospects, Heupel has yet to choose between the experienced Staub, the talented Brandon, and MacIntyre, who was Aguilar’s backup last year.
In limited game time last season, MacIntyre went 7-of-9 for 69 yards. On the other hand, Brandon is a five-star prospect and the No. 3-ranked quarterback in the class of 2026.
Staub was Shedeur Sanders’ backup in Boulder before briefly fighting for the Buffaloes’ starting job last season, managing 427 passing yards on 54.5% completion, resulting in three touchdowns and four interceptions, while adding 30 rushing yards and one score.
Chris Low Predicts Who Will Win Tennessee’s Quarterback Battle
During Monday’s segment of the “RTI Low-Down” podcast, On3 analyst Chris Low predicted that, despite being the least experienced of all options, Brandon would ultimately be named Tennessee’s starting quarterback for next season.
“Had a chance to talk with some of the guys, some of the coaches this week over there on campus,” Low said.
“I know there’s a lot of attention on the quarterback. Is it going to be Brandon? Is it going to be George MacIntyre?
“I think Brandon is the guy unless he does not play well in preseason. If he just has a bad camp, or if MacIntyre just plays lights out.
“Brandon has positioned himself nicely to be the starter. He still has to go lock it down. Yes, he’s a freshman, but as Josh Heupel has now told me a number of times, he played a true freshman the entire season with Dillon Gabriel at UCF. So he is not not going to play Faizon Brandon simply because he’s a true freshman if he’s the best guy.”
With Aguilar under center last season, the Volunteers’ offense earned an impressive PFSN Offense Impact score of 87.1, the third-best in the SEC, and whoever wins Tennessee’s quarterback battle will be a key driver of their success next season.
