Tennessee’s quarterback picture for Saturday’s trip to Arkansas still isn’t fully settled, but Faizon Brandon’s status has stayed the same: questionable.
Brandon was listed that way on the initial availability report, then again on Thursday, and Friday’s report did not bring any change. The designation lines up with Josh Heupel’s recent comments that Brandon is working through an injury he suffered in Tennessee’s loss to Texas.
Brandon’s most recent action came in the Vols’ 24-14 win over Auburn, and it was a rough outing before he was pulled midway through the game. He finished 3-of-8 passing for no yards and no touchdowns, and his final snap turned into an interception that set Auburn up in the red zone and led to the Tigers’ first touchdown.
George MacIntyre stepped in and gave Tennessee a steadier hand. He went 8-of-10 for 86 yards without a touchdown or an interception, and his 42-yard throw to Mike Matthews over the middle helped loosen things up for the running game. Multiple reports on Tuesday said MacIntyre is in line to start at Arkansas on Saturday.
Heupel, though, wasn’t ready to spell everything out when he spoke on Wednesday.
“I’m not gonna go into great detail on our plan with our quarterbacks for this Saturday as we head to Arkansas,” Heupel said. “I addressed it on Monday.
Faizon (Brandon) was dealing, still dealing with some injury things. We’re working through that here this week at the beginning part of the week.
“Got great trust and belief in both Faizon and George (MacIntyre). They’re both here for a reason.
They’re tough, resilient guys. They’ve been great teammates and done a lot of positive things out on the field.”
In Other News...
Tennessees Arkansas Captains Reveal A Surprising Leadership Shift
Tennessees weekly captain group for the Arkansas game brought one notable change, and it says plenty about how the Volunteers are distributing leadership heading into another SEC test. Long snapper Bennett Brady, defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam, wide receiver Mike Matthews and safety TJ Metcalf will serve as the captains this week, giving the Vols a mix of voices from special teams, the defensive front, the receiver room and the back end of the defense.
Arion Carter has been one of the more consistent captain selections this season, so his absence from that group stands out even if it does not change his role in the middle of the defense. With Arkansas on deck, Tennessee is showing that leadership can rotate as needed, and the latest captain choice adds a little intrigue to how the Vols are sorting out responsibility as the SEC grind continues. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Just Took Another Early Recruiting Hit In The SEC
Another early recruiting target slipped away from Tennessee as four-star safety Nick Carroll, one of the more highly regarded prospects in the 2028 class, chose Georgia over the Volunteers and Florida. Carroll drew attention nationally and in his home state, and Tennessee was among the programs pushing hard to get in position with him before the decision came down.
For a program that has leaned into building future defensive back talent, the miss lands as another reminder of how competitive the SEC recruiting path can be. Tennessee had made Carroll a priority, but he is the latest safety prospect the Vols went after only to see him land with another league rival, a familiar kind of setback in a race that does not get easier with time. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Has A Clear Arkansas Opportunity If The Vols Can Deliver
Tennessee heads into its SEC matchup with Arkansas with a pretty clear offensive blueprint, at least on paper. After studying the Razorbacks defensive issues from their recent loss to Texas A&M, the Vols should see a chance to lean on their spread attack and a ground game that can put pressure on a defense still looking for answers. DeSean Bishop figures to be central to that plan, especially if Tennessee can get the kind of balance it wants early.
The challenge is still real, because Arkansas brings Jim Knowles defensive structure and enough complexity to make any first-time quarterback work for every snap. George MacIntyre is lined up to make his first career start, which adds a layer of intrigue to a game Tennessee believes it can attack, but only if the execution matches the opportunity. The opening is there for the Vols, though taking advantage of it will depend on how quickly MacIntyre settles in and whether Tennessee can make Arkansas pay for the same soft spots that showed up a week ago. [Read more 🡒]