Tennessee Football Position Previews 2026: Quarterbacks
I'm so excited. I'm so scared.
After the unharmonious departure of the previous QB, graduate transfer Joey Aguilar was a breath of fresh air for Vol fans and the UT QB room in 2025. Aguilar endeared himself to the fan base with his competitive attitude and effectiveness with the long ball, finishing the year with 3571 yards and 24 TDs passing and another 250 yards and 4 scores rushing. Aguilar tried for another year of eligibility, but the courts denied his request.
So, Tennessee begins yet another season of trying out a new player at the QB spot—the Vols have had a second-year starter only once under Josh Heupel (Hendon Hooker in ’21 and ’22). With previous backup Jake Merklinger’s transfer to UConn, Tennessee has a three-way battle between RS FR George MacIntyre (4* c/o ’24, 7/9 for 60 yards in two appearances in ’25), true FR Fazion Brandon (5* c/o ’25), and Colorado transfer Ryan Staub (3* c/o ’23, 30/57 for 427 yards, 3 TD 4 INT in four 2025 appearances).
Staub seems like the odd man out—until you remember that he’s the most experienced QB on the roster. And history tells us that if there’s anything Josh Huepel likes in a quarterback, it’s experience. Still, the most likely solution is to come from one of the blue-chippers Tennessee has on the roster.
Nega-Vol’n
Both MacIntyre and Brandon are supremely talented but raw. Both were highly-touted, highly-sought after recruits. However, MacIntyre has been criticized as too skinny (at 6’6 and just north of 200 lbs.) and Brandon missed much of his high school senior year with an injury. When the season kicks off, neither QB will have played much football in the previous 18 months. The smart money says that both young men will be standout QBs in the next few years—but they can’t both stand out at UT at the same time. It’s not hard to imagine a worst-case scenario where the wrong guy gets the job and the better player portals out in the spring, becoming a star somewhere else. And even the medium-case scenario has its problems: September will be tough with a road trip against a gamey Georgia Tech squad and a home matchup against a probable top-5 Texas. It’s highly likely that Tennessee will be a better team with a better QB in November than they are in September—but they don’t have the luxury of waiting that long to be good
Sunshine Pump’n
Both “GMac” and Faizon have a knack for playmaking and have the potential for explosiveness. Either one could be good enough to lead the Vols to an excellent season. And that might be all they need to be—good enough. Even if neither QB matches Aguilar’s production in 2026, is it hard to imagine a world where the run game makes up the difference? That’s what happened in 2024 when the Vols made the College Football Playoff. It’s likewise easy to believe that one of these QBs will be at least as dynamic (and probably more so) than the 2024 QB was. If the ceiling is explosive, and the floor is good enough, 2026 could be a fun year on Rocky Top.
