As Tennessee football gears up for the upcoming season, all eyes are on the quarterback competition. With Joey Aguilar unable to return, the Vols are looking at a fresh face leading their offense.
The contenders? George MacIntyre, Faizon Brandon, and Ryan Staub.
Each brings a unique story to the table: MacIntyre had a brief stint as a backup last year, Brandon is stepping in as a freshman, and Staub has some experience from his time at Colorado.
This situation highlights a trend for Tennessee under Josh Heupel-five seasons, five different starting quarterbacks. It’s been a revolving door since 2021, when Joe Milton started but was quickly succeeded by Hendon Hooker, who delivered a standout season in 2022. Milton returned in 2023, followed by Nico Iamaleava in 2024, and then Aguilar in 2025.
The strategy of cycling through quarterbacks can be a gamble. Sure, teams like Indiana with Fernando Mendoza and Miami with Carson Beck have found success with one-year transfers.
Ohio State even clinched a title in 2024 with Will Howard. But the stability of a seasoned quarterback often pays dividends.
Just look at Michigan with JJ McCarthy in 2023, Georgia with Stetson Bennett in 2021 and 2022, Alabama with Mac Jones in 2020, and LSU with Joe Burrow in 2019.
In today’s game, a one-and-done transfer can work, but the ideal scenario is having a quarterback who knows the system inside and out. Tennessee has a golden opportunity here.
Whichever quarterback wins the job will have the chance to develop over multiple seasons, potentially setting up not just a successful 2026, but a promising future for the program. If they get this right, the Vols could be in for an exciting ride.