Josh Heupel probably didn’t envision his 2026 quarterback room looking like this.
In today’s college football landscape, managing a quarterback depth chart is like trying to catch smoke. The days of grooming a starter over two or three years are long gone. Now, it’s about surviving the portal, navigating NIL, and hoping your plan doesn’t unravel before spring practice even begins.
If Tennessee had a plan heading into the winter portal window, it didn’t go according to script. The Vols took some big swings at high-profile transfer quarterbacks-and came up empty each time.
Ty Simpson reportedly turned down a $4 million offer. Sam Leavitt picked LSU and Lane Kiffin, despite continued interest (and a hefty offer) from Tennessee even after his verbal commitment.
And Beau Pribula, the biggest surprise of the bunch, chose Virginia over Knoxville. That’s three targeted quarterbacks.
Three very public misses.
Now, Tennessee finds itself in a familiar position: searching for answers at the most important position on the field.
There’s still a question mark around Joey Aguilar’s eligibility. The Vols are reportedly pursuing a waiver for another year, but signs are pointing toward that request being denied. Aguilar threw for over 3,500 yards last season, and losing him would be another blow to a room already thinned by attrition.
Jake Merklinger, once viewed as part of the future, is gone too. He entered the portal and landed at UConn. That leaves Tennessee without its top three quarterbacks from 2025-Aguilar (likely ineligible), Merklinger (transferred), and Nico Iamaleava (now at UCLA).
And just like that, Tennessee heads into 2026 with more questions than answers under center.
This isn’t new territory for Heupel. In fact, 2026 will mark his sixth season in Knoxville, and he’s yet to start the same quarterback in back-to-back season openers.
Joe Milton started in 2021, then Hendon Hooker took over. Iamaleava was supposed to be the guy, but his departure last spring flipped the script again.
It’s been a revolving door, and not by design.
That’s not to say the cupboard is bare. Far from it.
George MacIntyre, the 6’6”, 195-pound freshman, was long viewed as the heir apparent. The plan was for him to redshirt in 2025, bulk up, and learn the system behind Aguilar and Merklinger. That plan might get accelerated.
Then there’s Faizon Brandon, a five-star early enrollee who’s now firmly in the spotlight. Brandon has had the “quarterback of the future” label since Iamaleava’s exit, but now he might be the quarterback of the present. And while his talent is undeniable, starting a true freshman in the SEC is never Plan A.
Yes, it’s been done-Bo Nix at Auburn, DJ Lagway at Florida, Jake Fromm at Georgia-but those situations were either injury-driven or supported by elite defenses. Fromm and Jalen Hurts are the only true freshmen in the Playoff era to throw for 20 touchdown passes in the SEC. For context, 43 FBS quarterbacks hit that mark in 2025 alone.
That’s the level Tennessee is aiming for: a competent, productive passing game that can complement its always-reliable ground attack.
Speaking of the run game, there’s good news there. DeSean Bishop is back after a 1,000-yard season, marking the first time in the Heupel era that Tennessee returns a 1,000-yard rusher.
That’s a stabilizing force, and one that could ease the burden on a young quarterback. With Bishop leading the way, the run game should remain a strength.
But if MacIntyre or Brandon ends up starting Week 1, it’ll be another first for Heupel: his first opening-day starter with zero Power Conference snaps. That’s notable, especially considering four of his five previous Week 1 starters were veteran transfers.
And while Heupel’s offense is known for being quarterback-friendly and up-tempo, it still requires experience and rhythm to run at full throttle. The only time one of his offenses finished outside the top 20 in yards per play was in 2024, during Iamaleava’s inconsistent run. Ironically, that was also the year Tennessee made its lone Playoff appearance-thanks in large part to a top-7 scoring defense and a heavy dose of Dylan Sampson.
Still, back-to-back seasons ending in disappointment have turned up the pressure. Heupel isn’t on the hot seat, but the seat’s certainly warmer than it was two years ago.
He inherited a mess post-Jeremy Pruitt and turned it into consistent winning, but expectations have shifted. Now it’s about competing for championships, not just bowl eligibility.
That urgency was on full display in the portal. Tennessee didn’t just swing at quarterbacks-they swung big, offering top-dollar deals in hopes of landing a proven playmaker.
But none of them bit. And now, with the portal window closed, the Vols are left to sort things out internally.
That doesn’t mean Heupel is doomed in 2026. But it does mean he’s entering the season with more uncertainty at quarterback than any other point in his tenure.
For now, all eyes turn to Brandon and MacIntyre. One of them might be the future. One of them might have to be the present.
Either way, this isn’t how Heupel drew it up.