Joey Aguilar is officially ineligible to play college football for Tennessee.
A Knoxville judge denied a preliminary injunction, which could have halted NCAA eligibility rules in Aguilar’s case, on Feb. 20. The decision means Aguilar won’t be playing for the Vols in 2026 barring a speedy and successful appeal to reverse the order, which appears unlikely.
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That means true freshman Faizon Brandon will be battling to be starting quarterback this spring along with redshirt freshman George MacIntyre and Colorado transfer Ryan Staub.
Here is what to know about Brandon:
Faizon Brandon was Tennessee’s first commitment of 2026 class
Brandon committed to the Vols in August 2024 as Tennessee’s first commit of the 2026 class. He held offers from virtually every power conference program and chose UT over Alabama, LSU and North Carolina State.
Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said Brandon was one of the Vols’ most effective recruiters and helped the Vols land a top-10 class. Brandon brought talented wide receivers with him, including five-star Tristen Keys and four-star Tyreek King (from Knoxville Catholic).
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Faizon Brandon rated as five-star, top-10 recruit in 2026
The 6-foot-4, 206-pound Brandon is rated as a five-star prospect and ranked as the No. 3 quarterback and No. 10 overall prospect in the 2026 class in the 247Sports Composite.
At the time of his commitment, 247Sports had him ranked as the No. 1 overall player of the 2026 class. Brandon was ranked as the No. 4 quarterback and No. 31 overall prospect in the 247Sports Composite when he committed.
Faizon Brandon starred for Grimsley High School in North Carolina
Brandon starred for Grimsley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina, and he ended his career there with a second straight state championship. He was named MVP after with 191 yards of total offense and two touchdowns.
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Brandon injured his hand in the season opener of his senior season, but returned for the playoffs. In five games, he completed 52-of-83 passes for 949 yards with 10 touchdowns and just one interception. He also rushed for 186 yards and two touchdowns.
Brandon completed 72% of his passes for 6,374 yards and 79 TDs during his high school career. He also rushed for 1,261 yards and 21 TDs, and had a 33-1 record as a starter.
Faizon Brandon already involved with Knoxville community
Brandon enrolled early at Tennessee, and he’s already given back to the community in Knoxville.
Brandon and his parents handed out toys at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital on Dec. 19. He posted on X that 900 gifts were donated for the toy drive he announced only two weeks prior.
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“It’s been great, just being able to see that we put a smile on their face,” Brandon told Knox News. “They could be going through hard times or something like that, but I think it’s been great to put a small smile on their face.”
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Faizon Brandon, possible Tennessee starting QB 2026, what to know
