George MacIntyre led Tennessee quarterback drills during the first football practice of spring. Five-star freshman Faizon Brandon followed closely behind. And Colorado transfer Ryan Staub took his turn third.
Don’t read too much into that order from the March 16 opening practice. It could change throughout the next month as they wage a competition for the starting job.
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But it’s a predictable starting point.
Media members were permitted to watch warm-ups and the first 20 minutes of practice. Here’s what we saw.
Tennessee quarterbacks, from left, Faizon Brandon (11), Ryan Staub (17), Mason Phillips (13) and George MacIntyre (15) during the Vols’ first spring football practice in Knoxville on March 16, 2026.
First look at Tennessee quarterback competition
Fundamentals are the top priority for coach Josh Heupel and offensive coordinator Joey Halzle early in spring. As each quarterback went through a passing drill, they were critiqued for their footwork and form.
It appeared MacIntyre got the least instruction. He’s the only quarterback returning from last season, but he’ll only be a redshirt freshman in the 2026 season.
Brandon is an impressive athlete with a college-type body, listed at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds. He has a compact throwing motion and zip on his passes, but Halzle helped him hone his footwork after a few throws.
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Staub, the most experienced of the trio, is noticeably shorter than MacIntyre and Brandon. The Colorado transfer is listed at 6-1, 200 pounds. He fluttered a few passes, so Halzle showed him how to step into his throws better.
Presumably, the quarterbacks went through 7-on-7 passing drills and team sessions after practice was closed.
George MacIntyre gained some weight for spring
MacIntyre was listed as 6-6, 201 pounds on the updated roster released just before the first practice. He was listed as 195 pounds on the 2025 roster.
That six-pound gain may seem like an insignificant detail from an outside perspective.
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But MacIntyre’s slender frame has been a topic all offseason as fans wonder whether his body could take the punishment of a full SEC season if he won the starting job.
MacIntyre has acknowledged that he has dietary restrictions. But UT hired new strength coach Derek Owings from national champion Indiana and a team nutritionist Katie O’Connor to address challenges like MacIntyre’s weight.
Spring practice reveals Plan B at quarterback
This competition wasn’t Plan A for UT’s quarterback situation.
Tennessee tried to get Arizona State transfer Sam Leavitt and Cincinnati transfer Brendan Sorsby out of the portal in January. And they hosted Missouri’s Beau Pribula on a visit to campus. But Leavitt went to LSU, Sorsby went to Texas Tech, and it appeared the Vols passed on Pribula, who transferred to Virginia.
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Joey Aguilar, the 2025 starter, also tried to regain a year of eligibility in the courts by suing the NCAA, but that failed.
Nevertheless, UT has good options as Plan B under the circumstances. MacIntytre, a former Brentwood Academy standout, was a highly-touted recruit in the 2025 class. Brandon was a five-star recruit in the 2026 class. Staub was a backup at Colorado, but he’s got dual-threat skills that could be utilized in Heupel’s system.
These quarterbacks have played only 231 snaps
These quarterbacks are all trying to replace Aguilar, the underdog transfer who quickly learned UT’s offense and led the SEC in passing yards last season. Aguilar’s success gives UT hope that finding a starting quarterback isn’t that difficult of a task.
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But the big difference is experience.
Aguilar played 2,705 snaps in three Division I seasons, and that’s not counting his years in junior college. Staub played only 213 snaps at Colorado. MacIntytre played 18 snaps as a freshman last season. And Brandon has only played in high school.
Until the 2026 season opener against Furman on Sept. 5, practices and intrasquad scrimmages will be their only source of experience.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: George MacIntyre, Faizon Brandon, Ryan Staub start Tennessee QB competition
