Tennessee QB competition: Josh Heupel reviews final scrimmage, discusses timeline for naming starter

Key Points:

• Tennessee held its second preseason scrimmage as the quarterback competition between sophomore George MacIntyre and five-star freshman Faizon Brandon continues ahead of the 2026 season opener against Furman.
• Head coach Josh Heupel noted positives and negatives from the scrimmage, praising both quarterbacks for ball security and decision-making but acknowledged the offense was not operating cleanly overall.
• Brandon has shown the ability to make explosive downfield plays and demonstrated athleticism and pocket mobility, though scrimmages do not fully replicate live game conditions due to protective rules for quarterbacks.
• Heupel indicated there is no set timeline for naming the starting quarterback, emphasizing the decision will be based on who earns it and what’s best for the team, with past decisions made anywhere from two weeks to just days before the opener.
• The coach downplayed any advantage in naming a starter early, citing both quarterbacks have had ample reps with the first team, and stressed the evaluation process is unique each year depending on team circumstances.