Tennessee quarterback George MacIntyre has more than a new jersey number heading into fall camp. The Vols’ second-year signal caller is also carrying a much bigger frame after a full offseason under new strength coach Derek Owings.
MacIntyre is now listed at 208 pounds, up from the 195 pounds he carried as a true freshman in 2025. That’s a 13-pound jump for the Franklin, Tennessee, native, who already stands 6-foot-6. By his own earlier estimate, he arrived on campus at about 182 pounds, which means he has added 26 pounds since getting to Tennessee.
The goal for MacIntyre this offseason was 210 pounds before fall camp, so he is just a couple of pounds shy of that target. With camp still just under a month away, that still counts as a strong early win for Owings and the program’s push to get MacIntyre ready for the season.
“Obviously, nutrition’s going to be a big part of it,” MacIntyre said on the hiring of Owings. “They’re always down there at meals, down there at weigh ins.
We weigh in every day, so you really get a gauge of where you’re at or where you need to be. And I think there’s added intensity to every aspect in the weight room, in the training room, in the cafeteria, just added intensity for sure.”
The weight gain is part of a bigger picture for Tennessee’s quarterback room, where MacIntyre is in a battle with Faizon Brandon and Colorado transfer Ryan Staub for the starting job. Brandon is listed at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, while Staub checks in at 6-foot-1, 204 pounds.
MacIntyre’s jersey change from No. 15 to No. 12 may be the most visible tweak, but the bigger story is what he’s done to his body. Tennessee wanted him heavier. He got there fast.
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