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George MacIntyre, Faizon Brandon or Ryan Staub? Our pick for Tennessee QB
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- George MacIntyre, Faizon Brandon or Ryan Staub? Our pick for Tennessee QB
The Joey Aguilar era is over, again. And the George MacIntyre or Faizon Brandon era is about to begin, again.
However, new quarterback Ryan Staub may provide a twist for Tennessee football in 2026.
UT's quarterback depth chart needs a reset after Aguilar was denied another season of eligibility, so let's give it a try. It's the second time this discussion has been broached, but it appears permanent this time.
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On this podcast episode of " The Volunteer State ," UT beat writer Adam Sparks and columnist John Adams make their early picks of the Vols' QB depth chart (and they surprisingly agree). Plus, they discuss a few key factors in the Aguilar decision.
To hear the full discussion, listen to the 55-minute podcast. Here are a few highlights.
Our pick for QB3? Faizon Brandon, for now
Sparks and Adams agree that Brandon, the five-star freshman, is the best bet for third-string quarterback. But they also express uncertainty because Brandon's immense talent could close the gap with the others sooner than later.
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Adams said he has come to value experience more in the quarterback position, especially in the transfer portal era. For that reason, he thinks UT will bring along Brandon slowly behind older quarterbacks.
Sparks points out that these predictions are about the start of the 2026 season, which is why he put Brandon at QB3. The Vols play Georgia Tech in Week 2. They play Texas in Week 4. They play Auburn in Week 5. Coach Josh Heupel doesn't want to limit his offense early in the season against that competition by relying on a true freshman.
Is Ryan Staub what Jake Merklinger was supposed to be?
Staub, a Colorado transfer, may be like Gaston Moore , the former UT walk-on who was serviceable as a reserve quarterback. Staub may be a poor man's Aguilar, a transfer who fits perfectly into UT's offense and earns the starting job.
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Sparks thinks Staub is actually somewhere in the middle.
"The best case scenario for Ryan Staub is that he will be what they hoped Jake Merklinger would've been," said Sparks, referring to Staub's dual-threat skillset. He's a pretty good runner and passer, and that package is a solid combination as a backup quarterback.
If the depth chart settles in that order, Sparks and Adams discussed how Heupel will manage individual expectations among the quarterbacks. After all, Brandon was among the most coveted recruits in the 2026 class, so he'll expect to play sooner than later.
George MacIntyre is the logical pick but not a runaway
From a late February perspective, Sparks and Adams picked MacIntyre to start the 2026 season. But spring practice should reveal more about the pecking order.
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"It's the logical pick," said Adams, while admitting some doubts. "I haven't seen him (play much), so I don't actually know what he can do. But I wouldn't rule out the possibility that (MacIntyre) might be good right away."
Adams is still concerned about MacIntyre's slender frame, which is a priority in UT's revamped offseason program under new strength coach Derek Owings .
Sparks said UT coaches like the direction of MacIntyre's development , but the only question was whether it is fast enough for him to start in 2026. Their offseason moves suggest that they had doubts.
As a freshman, MacIntyre completed 7 of 9 passes for 69 yards in two games. You can see them in a video compilation on X.
"I hate to say that nine passes showed me something, but nine passes kinda showed me something," Sparks said.
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At best, Sparks believes that MacIntyre needs to assume the role of point guard in the offense, getting the ball to the right playmakers without extra flair.
More on Joey Aguilar eligibility case
Sparks and Adams also discussed the following about the Aguilar case:
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The judge didn't want to open a can of worms.
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Would the NCAA suffer harm if Aguilar played?
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The judge's UT fandom may have backfired for Aguilar.
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The NCAA attorney said a critical line in the hearing, which sparks a debate between Sparks and Adams.
To hear the full discussion, listen to the podcast.
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: Tennessee football quarterback: George MacIntyre, Faizon Brandon, Ryan Staub
