We're a day away from the start of Tennessee's 2026 season, and naturally, like any season, there are plenty of question marks and unknowns going into the season opener. Perhaps even more this year than in a number of previous years, to be honest.
As such, Saturday's contest against Furman will be Tennessee's first chance at examining those question mark areas and see how Tennessee tries to answer them.
Here are four things I'm watching closely on Saturday.
1) The QB position
This is the obvious one, but it goes beyond just Faizon Brandon. Brandon won the QB battle, and by all measures from those who saw bits and pieces on the field in the offseason and camp, it was the right call. It'll be the first chance to see how well Brandon process, and how well he instinctively tucks it and runs when either nothing is there or if pressure comes. That's the most obvious thing that the fans will be watching on Saturday. He's very likely the current and future heartbeat of the program.
But I also want to see how George MacIntyre looks in the second half once Tennessee gets the game by the throat. Will he be sharp? Is he invested? How are his processing skills and touch?
2) The pass rush
This is the biggest question mark by a country mile on Tennessee's defense that even Jim Knowles was hesitant about in his press conference earlier this month.
"Time will tell," Knowles said.
With Chaz Coleman….uh, not playing football now, or whatever it is he's doing this fall, it's incumbent on someone else stepping up and becoming that guy that Tennessee does not appear to have right now. Tyree Weathersby has had flashes from the DE spot, but who's going to step up and stand out on the other side at LEO? Can Jordan Norman from Tulane be that guy, someone who's been described as a quiet but talented player? Will someone rise from deeper on the depth chart and make an early claim? Will Tennessee test out some exotic packages/blitzes with their tremendous linebacking group (sans Arion Carter for this one)? It's wide, wide open.
3) WR3
Kelsey Pope talked last month about how no one has come up and claimed this role among TK Keys, Radarious Jackson, Travis Smith, Jr., and others. He even said that they'd play 12 personnel and change up their personnel groupings if they only have two wide receivers who can play.
I don't think things are that dire, and that was probably just motivation. But I am curious to see who gets the first look on the field at WR3, and who delivers some plays from that spot. It's probably the biggest question mark on the offense right now, and this battle should last for the first few weeks at least.
4) The secondary/rotation
I think we're going to see Ty Redmond and Kayin Lee get the nod at corner, and then there's TJ Metcalf and perhaps Dejuan Lane. Qua Moss looks like the nickel. But it's Lane's spot that's really to watch for with Edrees Farooq out for the year with a knee injury.
Will Dylan Lewis get some looks? Will Tennessee go one high with Moss perhaps as a floater or decoy/chess piece, given his ability to play safety? I'm curious to see how Knowles' safety room with look without one of their best pieces on the field. Knowles did address it recently and acknowledged Moss' versatility.
"We're cross-training (Moss) at the high safety positions, not only the nickel position, because we have enough good linebackers to be able to play a big nickel, Sam type of position. And if we need Qua in the back end, we can do that. So we're just cross-training. And then the backups with Sidney (Walton) and Dylan (Lewis) and DJ Burks, right? So we're just trying to really cross-train everywhere because of the fact that we're a little thin there."
And I'm excited to watch Lee. He got a lot of good buzz this offseason, and if he can be the next great Tennessee CB transfer, this defense could have one of the best CB duos in the SEC.
