Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel did not identify his starting quarterback for the Arkansas game during his appearance on the SEC coaches teleconference on Oct. 7, despite numerous reports that George MacIntyre will start over Faizon Brandon.
"I’m not going to go into great detail on our plan for our quarterbacks this Saturday as we head to Arkansas," Heupel said. "Faizon was dealing, still dealing, with some injury things. We’re working through that here this week, at the beginning part of the week.
"We have great trust and belief in both Faizon and George. They’re both here for a reason. They’re tough, resilient guys. They’ve been great teammates, and they’ve done a lot of positive things out on the field."
The 14th-ranked Vols (4-1, 1-1
SEC) play Arkansas (2-3, 0-2) on Oct. 10 (4:15 p.m. ET, SEC Network) in Fayetteville.
Heupel declined to name his starting quarterback at his weekly press conference on Oct. 5. Knox News and other media outlets, citing sources, reported on Oct. 6 that MacIntyre would get first career start against Arkansas. Heupel addressed his quarterback situation to start his SEC teleconference appearance on Oct. 7, but he left the decision open ended.
MacIntyre is a sophomore and a former Brentwood Academy standout. He has completed 14 of 20 passes for 148 yards and one TD this season in relief of Brandon, a five-star freshman.
If MacIntyre starts, he will be the sixth starting quarterback of Heupel’s six-year tenure at Tennessee. He would follow Joe Milton (16 starts, 2021-23), Hendon Hooker (22 starts, 2021-22), Nico Iamaleava (14 starts, 2023-24), Joey Aguilar (13 starts, 2025) and Brandon (five starts, 2026).
The switch from Brandon to MacIntyre would be predictable, at least for the Arkansas game. But it's been unclear whether Heupel made the move because of Brandon’s ineffective play or his injury status or a combination of those factors.
How Faizon Brandon injury factors into quarterback switch
Brandon suffered an apparent right shoulder injury in a 20-17 loss to No. 1 Texas on Sept. 26. He briefly left the game due to the injury and received additional medical treatment after the game, which made him unavailable for the postgame press conference.
Brandon struggled in the Auburn game on Oct. 3. He passed for zero yards on three completions and a costly interception, looked uncomfortable under a pass rush and got benched in the second quarter. MacIntyre sparked the Vols off the bench for a 24-14 win.
On Oct. 5, Heupel said Brandon “wasn't at his best (after) getting injured in the Texas game (and) it was affecting his game (against Auburn).”
UT has not disclosed the severity of Brandon’s right shoulder injury.
The SEC student-athlete availability report could shed light on that when it's released around 8:10 p.m. ET on Oct. 7.
What would Tennessee QB switch mean for rest of season?
Heupel and his staff know that switching the starting quarterback would have ramifications beyond one game. That’s especially true in the transfer portal era when the competition involves two young quarterbacks who were blue-chip recruits.
Don’t expect Heupel to acknowledge those stakes midway through the season. This quarterback situation could take many more twists and turns with seven regular-season games remaining
MacIntyre could be a short-term substitute until Brandon recovers from his shoulder injury.
MacIntyre could have the starting job until he gives Heupel a reason to take it away from him. He could be auditioning for the job in a renewed competition with Brandon.
Or perhaps MacIntyre and Brandon will both play in a two-quarterback system until the situation stabilizes. Answers will come sooner or later.
Heupel likely will re-evaluate the quarterback situation each week, and MacIntyre has a prime opportunity to impact it. After the Arkansas game, the Vols play home against Alabama on Oct. 17 and at South Carolina on Oct. 24 before an open week.
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: What Josh Heupel said about George MacIntyre, Faizon Brandon vs Arkansas
