Did Tennessee Football Make the Right Choice With Faizon Brandon?

The Tennessee Volunteers have plenty of talented players on the roster, which can often make things a bit difficult when it comes to deciding who would ultimately be the starter at certain positions. While there were, and still are, many different position battles, none were more intriguing than the battle that has wrapped up at least momentarily.

That battle was the quarterback position battle for the starting spot in Josh Heupel's 2026 offense. The competition was between two main candidates, as second-year quarterback George MacIntyre and first-year quarterback Faizon Brandon were the two who competed for the gig. The announcement has finally been made, and the Vols' quarterback for the 2026 season is set to be Faizon Brandon.

Did Tennessee Football Make the Right Choice With Faizon Brandon?

Did the Tennessee Volunteers make the right choice when it comes to naming Faizon Brandon as the starter? The easy answer is no, absolutely not, or, of course not.

While MacIntyre is a solid option and could find himself making a run for starting quarterback if Brandon fails to meet expectations in his first year with the Vols, or even the first couple of games, Brandon's upside is something that made this a no-brainer for many outside the Tennessee camp. With a battle this close, it was only right to factor in what the future may look like following the 2026 season.

Quarterback Faizon Brandon during a visit to the University of Tennessee | Tennessee Athletic Association

When the Vols added MacIntyre, the plan was for the future, but when Tennessee added a player like Brandon, the Vols had hopes of not only having a player for the future, but also a possible candidate for the now. When they landed MacIntyre and Brandon, it was clear that the decision wouldn't come easy. In fact, this is something that likely started even before the two players got to college, as it is likely that Coach Heupel and his staff were evaluating these guys, knowing that there was a chance they could have a massive QB battle in the near future.

Brandon isn't a slouch when it comes to his arm power, but his strong suit is how much ahead of the game he is for his age. He is someone who can take control of an entire offense like a veteran, while also being able to be coached easily. There were multiple times that Vols On SI reporter Dale Dowden and I were able to watch Brandon in person. Not only was he extremely accurate, but the limited mistakes that he made were corrected immediately. Not to mention that the mistakes were minor things, although in the SEC you have to be sound to play the quarterback position.

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel speaks to the media during Tennessee football’s media day on Aug. 4, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

He is also excellent when it comes to hitting his receivers when they break, which is something that can't be taken lightly, as every second matters in this game.

In conclusion, Tennessee made the right selection when it comes to Faizon Brandon. He will be a star in Knoxville, Tennessee, there's no dount in my mind.

Add us as a preferred source on Google