Tracking down Faizon Brandon in the backfield has been a struggle at times for Tennessee football's pass rushers.
It's one reason Brandon was named the Vols' starting quarterback on Aug. 24 and will become the first true freshman quarterback to start a Tennessee season opener since 2004.
Edge rusher Jordan Norman went as far as to compare Brandon's elusiveness to that of a former Heisman Trophy winner.
"I would say, honestly, it's like trying to tackle Lamar Jackson," said Norman, a Tulane transfer. "Somebody who can run, shake you."
Coach Josh Heupel isn't asking or expecting Brandon to be nearly as dynamic as Jackson, but the freshman can add another dimension to the Vols' offense as an elusive runner. While sophomore George MacIntyre is plenty
capable of navigating pressure, Brandon has shown his ability to extend plays with his legs since arriving on campus in January.
Heupel said that the decision to pick Brandon as the starter over MacIntyre was multi-faceted. "I don't think there's just one thing," he said before listing a multitude of traits one would want from their starting quarterback, like an understanding of the offense, technique and decision-making. He also noted Brandon's pocket awareness.
"I would say his athletic ability is definitely his strong suit and just being able to avoid people in the pocket," defensive lineman Tyree Weathersby said.
Norman believes the challenge of bringing Brandon down has been mutually beneficial for the offense and defense during preseason practice. He's gotten to Brandon a few times, having to slow down in the backfield with the quarterbacks wearing non-contact jerseys.
But Brandon has been elusive nonetheless, and Norman first saw it in the spring when Brandon showed up fresh out of high school. During a practice, Norman came off the edge on Brandon's blind side. As he closed in for the sack, he was sure the quarterback didn't see him coming.
"I thought I had him. Next thing you know he was out of the pocket," Norman said. "That's one of the plays that stuck out to me like, 'Yeah, he can really do that.'"
Emmett Siegel covers Tennessee baseball for Knox News. Email: emmett.siegel@knoxnews.com; X: @EmmettSiegel_
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Why new Tennessee starting QB Faizon Brandon was compared to Lamar Jackson by teammate
