Faizon Brandon Wins Tennessee QB Battle: Why the Freshman Is Set Up to Succeed

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True freshman Faizon Brandon won Tennessee’s starting quarterback job for the 2026 college football season in a close competition over second-year signal-caller George MacIntyre. Brandon is the first true freshman expected to start for the Volunteers since Brent Schaeffer in 2004.

The expectations are sky high for Brandon — a five-star recruit and the top quarterback prospect by some recruiting services for 2026. 

Make no mistake: the spotlight on Brandon is bright as the starting quarterback for a top-25 team and a potential playoff contender. While Brandon plays the most important position on the field, Tennessee and coach Josh Heupel won’t require elite play from the true freshman to make a run at the College Football Playoff. 

Among new quarterbacks taking over this fall, Brandon is arguably stepping into one of the best situations. The supporting cast around the true freshman is loaded with proven playmakers and experience. Also, Heupel is one of the SEC’s best at developing quarterbacks and high-powered offenses. 

Running back DeSean Bishop ranked fourth in the SEC with 1,076 rushing yards and is among the nation’s top returning backs. Depth in Tennessee’s backfield has been an offseason concern, but Tulane transfer Javin Gordon should be a capable No. 2 option. Brandon’s ability to use his legs to create plays off schedule or on designed runs adds another dimension to the ground game.

Tennessee’s pass catchers also rank among the best in college football. Even though Chris Brazzell II (62 catches for 1,017 yards and nine receiving touchdowns) departed for the NFL, Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews are back on the outside. Five-star freshman TK Keys should emerge as another key playmaker at receiver. Tight end Ethan Davis is also primed for a breakout year. 

Up front, the Volunteers bring back an experienced group, including Athlon Sports’ preseason All-American Wendell Moe. LSU transfer Ory Williams was brought in to solidify right tackle. In eight SEC games last year, this unit allowed only 17 sacks. The front five could be even better for Heupel in ‘26.

This offseason, Heupel’s top priority was improving a defense that allowed 33.6 points a game and gave up 6.1 yards per play in SEC matchups. Although this unit may not emerge as one of the nation’s best, Tennessee should show progress under new coordinator Jim Knowles. The veteran play-caller had a rough ‘25 season at Penn State, but Knowles is one of college football’s top defensive minds and won’t lack motivation after struggling in Happy Valley.

Even with the question marks off the edge after Chaz Coleman’s departure, the Volunteers are primed to be better on this side of the ball with Knowles in charge. Arion Carter is suspended for the first game of ‘26, but with Penn State transfer Amare Campbell leading the way, the linebacker unit should rank among the best in the SEC. Additional transfers also bolstered the line and the secondary. A new coordinator and personnel shuffling may take time to mesh, but the pieces are in place for a step forward. 

The schedule is also manageable. The Volunteers won’t have to play Georgia, Oklahoma and Ole Miss. Also, some of the toughest tests (LSU, Alabama and Texas) take place in Knoxville.

During Heupel’s tenure in Knoxville, he displayed a knack for quickly molding a team to its strengths. In the run to the College Football Playoff in ‘24, the Volunteers leaned heavily on their defense and rushing attack. But behind quarterback Hendon Hooker in 2021-22, Heupel’s program ranked near the top of the SEC in passing offense.

Tennessee will certainly need Brandon to hit his share of plays in the passing game and develop throughout the ‘26 season. But the true freshman is set up for success with a strong supporting cast on offense, an improved defense and a favorable schedule. Instead of carrying the Volunteers, Brandon can simply be a key cog that leans on the other pieces early on and grows into the job to handle more as the season progresses. 

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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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