Faizon Brandon appears to have moved ahead in the competition for Tennessee’s starting QB after the final intrasquad scrimmage on Aug. 22. He connected on a deep pass to Mike Matthews and broke a few long runs, then left Josh Heupel weighing whether to name a starter before game week or wait.
Heupel said he looks at “who has earned it” and what is “best holistically for that position group in the buildup (to the season) and in the football team.” He also said there could be “minor benefits” to naming a starter in the next few days, including “time on task” and timing with the receivers and tight ends.
Josh Heupel on the QB job
Heupel said Brandon and George MacIntyre “have both gotten a bunch of work with that first (team offense).” He said he evaluates how quarterbacks “manipulate and work in the pocket,” protect the ball, and handle extended plays, where a runner’s decision to tuck the ball becomes visible. He also said Brandon is a better runner in scrambling situations and on designed quarterback runs.
The scrimmage was closed to the public and media, but the plays that surfaced gave the competition shape. Brandon threw an interception and missed some short high-percentage passes. MacIntyre managed the offense reasonably well, but he also threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown and overthrew a deep pass.
Neyland Stadium on Sept. 5
The 18th-ranked Vols open the 2026 season against Furman on Sept. 5 at Neyland Stadium, and the quarterback decision sits inside that buildup. Heupel named Joey Aguilar as the starter over Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre the day after the final scrimmage a year ago, and he announced Joe Milton as the starter over Hendon Hooker in 2021.
If Heupel follows that pattern, Brandon could learn the job before the team reaches game week. If he waits, both quarterbacks have already handled a good share of first-team work, so the reps would likely keep splitting until the decision comes.
