A quarterback carousel without a clear answer
As the 2026 college football season looms, less than 100 days away, the SEC’s anonymous coaches have voiced a bleak outlook for the Tennessee Volunteers, centering on the team’s unsettled quarterback position.
Tennessee will field its fifth different starter at signal‑caller in as many seasons, a carousel that has already seen Joey Aguilar exit the competition, leaving a void that the coaching staff must fill.
The leading candidates are redshirt freshman George MacIntyre, true freshman Faizon Brandon, and transfer Ryan Staub, who arrived from Colorado via the portal, each bringing limited game‑time experience.
Coach Josh Heupel has yet to name a starter, promising to reopen the competition when fall practice begins, but the lack of a proven veteran raises questions about the unit’s energy and overall performance.
The Volunteers open the season against Furman on September 5, then travel to face Georgia Tech a week later, making the early schedule a litmus test for whatever solution Heupel ultimately settles on.