Tennessee football’s photo day offered the first real glimpse of the Vols in their new adidas uniforms, and it also gave fans a fresh look at the quarterback battle that’s been hanging over the program heading into fall camp.
With SEC Media Days wrapped up, Tennessee is now counting down to an early-August start to camp. Before that gets here, the Vols were in the studio for photo day, where several newcomers and transfers showed up in orange for the first time, while some returners were spotted wearing new numbers.
The most eye-catching detail came at quarterback. Faizon Brandon was seen in No. 11, while George MacIntyre wore No. 12, giving a clear look at the two signal-callers in the ongoing fight for the starting job.
Tennessee football also shared several photo day posts showing off the team’s work in front of the camera, including shots of the quarterbacks and other frames from the two-day session.
The quarterback situation is part of a larger transition for Tennessee, which is set to start its fifth different quarterback in five years. Josh Heupel said at SEC Media Days that the turnover doesn’t concern him.
“I know much is going to be made about our quarterback situation as we come in, starting our fifth different quarterback in five years,” Heupel said at SEC Media Days. “We’ve done that historically.
At some point I’m going to have the opportunity to come back here with a returning starter at quarterback. Seven out of the last nine years we’ve had a different starting quarterback, and seven out of the last nine years top 10 in the country in scoring.
We’re going to have a guy that’s going to be ready to compete at an elite championship level.”
Tennessee is also making a major change on defense. Heupel moved on from defensive coordinator Tim Banks and brought in Jim Knowles to take over, a shift that came with several position coach changes and additions through the transfer portal as the Vols reworked the roster.
In Other News...
Former Vol Just Earned SEC Respect Tennessee Fans Wont Love
The preseason All-SEC teams were released after SEC Media Days, and one familiar name showed up in a way Tennessee fans probably wont enjoy. Former Vol offensive tackle Lance Heard was recognized on the second team, a nod that reflects how quickly he has become a respected part of the league conversation even after leaving Knoxville.
Tennessee did get its own share of preseason attention, with DeSean Bishop, David Sanders Jr., Wendell Moe Jr. and Arion Carter landing on the third team. Still, the timing adds a little extra edge to an already familiar SEC storyline, with Tennessee and Kentucky set to meet Nov. 7 in Knoxville as the Volunteers try to keep their grip on a rivalry they have controlled for years. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Recruiting Is Pulling The Kind Of Attention Fans Crave
Tennessees recruiting machine has become a must-watch event in its own right, and the numbers back up the buzz. The Vols have three of the five most-viewed live commitments in 247Sports history, with Faizon Brandon, David Sanders Jr. and David Gabriel Georges all landing among the sports biggest attention magnets as five-star prospects and the top-rated pledges in their classes.
For a program trying to keep momentum rolling on the field, that kind of spotlight matters because it shows Tennessee is still drawing the kind of national interest that usually follows only the elite recruiting powers. It also fits a broader run of success, with the Vols landing at least one Top 11 five-star prospect in five straight classes, a stretch that has helped keep the fan base locked in long before the next season even kicks off. [Read more 🡒]