Faizon Brandon will be Tennessee's 13th true freshman to start at quarterback, joining a list that includes several all-time greats.
Peyton Manning, Casey Clausen, Erik Ainge, Tyler Bray and Joshua Dobbs each cracked the starting lineup during their true freshman season, and they finished as UT’s top five career passers in school history. Others didn’t fare so well.
Brandon will debut when the 18th-ranked Vols play Furman on Sept. 5 (3:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network+/ESPN+) at Neyland Stadium. Coach Josh Heupel told his team during a meeting on Aug. 24 that Brandon will start.
Before 1972, the NCAA didn’t allow true freshmen to play on the varsity team. Since then, the Vols have featured some memorable, and not-so-memorable, rookies under center.
Here’s
how Tennessee’s 12 true freshman starting quarterbacks played in their first season and their career.
Nico Iamaleava (2023)
As true freshman: Nico Iamaleava earned the Citrus Bowl MVP in a 35-0 win over Iowa. He passed for 151 yards and one TD and rushed for three TDs.
Career: Iamaleava started every game as a redshirt freshman in 2024, as the Vols went 10-3 and made the College Football Playoff. But he transferred to UCLA after a dispute over his NIL pay. Iamaleava has passed for almost 5,000 yards entering his junior season, but he’s still chasing the high of his first start.
Harrison Bailey (2020)
As true freshman: Harrison Bailey started the final three games of the 2020 season, which finished coach Jeremy Pruitt’s tenure. He was 48-of-68 passing for 578 yards, four TDs and two interceptions.
Career: Bailey passed for only 612 yards the remainder of his career after that freshman season. He played one more game at UT and played sparingly at UNLV (2022), Louisville (2023-24) and Florida (2025).
Brian Maurer (2019)
As true freshman: Brian Maurer started four games in his UT career, all as a true freshman in 2019. That season he was 35-of-75 passing for 541 yards, two TDs and five interceptions. He also rushed for two TDs.
Career: Maurer transferred to Stephen F. Austin, where he found success at the FCS level. In 2023, he passed for 2,066 yards and accounted for 17 total TDs.
Will McBride (2017)
As true freshman: When Quinten Dormady and Jarrett Guarantano were sidelined by injuries, Will McBride was pressed into the starting role against Missouri late in Butch Jones’ final season in 2017. McBride passed for 139 yards and rushed for 63 yards in a loss. McBride spent another season at Tennessee, but that lone start was his last game action with the Vols.
Career: After the 2018 season, McBride transferred to Lamar University. But he left the team before the start of the 2019 season.
Joshua Dobbs (2013)
As true freshman: Dobbs started the final four games of the 2013 season. He was 72-of-121 passing for 695 yards, two TDs and five interceptions. He also rushed for 189 yards and one TD.
Career: Dobbs’ career took off after that slow start. He broke UT’s record for career rushing yards (2,160 yards) and touchdowns (32) by a quarterback. He ranks fifth in school history in career passing yards (7,138) and sixth in TD passes (53). The Vols had a 23-12 record and 3-0 mark in bowl games with Dobbs as the starter.
Justin Worley (2011)
As true freshman: Justin Worley started three games late in the 2011 season, midway through the Derek Dooley coaching tenure. He was 48-of-87 passing with 604 yards, one TD and three interceptions.
Career: Worley started 14 games combined as a junior and senior, but he was sidelined by injuries in both seasons. He had a solid career, passing for 3,556 yards and 23 TDs.
Tyler Bray (2010)
As true freshman: Bray started the final five games of the 2010 season, winning his first four. He was 125-of-224 passing for 1,849 yards and 18 TDs, setting UT freshman records.
Career: Bray started the remainder of Dooley’s tenure, posting a 13-11 record. His stats were more impressive. He ranks fourth in UT history in career passing yards (7,444) and TD passes (69).
Erik Ainge (2004)
As true freshman: Ainge was a Freshman All-American despite splitting time with fellow freshman Brent Schaeffer and suffering an injury late in the season. He started six games for a 10-win team that made the SEC title game. Ainge was 109-of-198 passing for 1,452 yards, 17 TDs and nine interceptions.
Career: Ainge kept winning. He posted a 27-10 record as a starter, the third-most by a quarterback in school history. He also ranks third in UT history in career passing yards (8,700) and TD passes (72). That included a school-record seven TD passes in an overtime win over Kentucky in 2007. UT had another 10-win season and SEC title game appearance with Ainge at the helm in 2007. He was the Outback Bowl MVP.
Brent Schaeffer (2004)
As true freshman: In 2004, Schaeffer became the first true freshman quarterback to start a season opener for an SEC team since the NCAA allowed freshmen to play varsity football in 1973. But he split time with Ainge from the beginning. Schaeffer passed for 302 yards and two TDs, and he rushed for one score. He suffered a season-ending injury.
Career: Schaeffer never played for UT again. He transferred to College of Sequoias, where he became a junior college All-American. Then he transferred to Ole Miss, where he passed for 2,020 yards, 14 TDs and 14 interceptions, mostly as a one-year starter.
Casey Clausen (2000)
As true freshman: Clausen was phenomenal as a freshman in 2000, taking over as the starter at midseason in a win over Alabama and winning six straight games. He completed 62% of his passes for 1,473 yards, 15 TDs and six interceptions. He earned Freshman All-America honors.
Career: Clausen stands alone as a clutch road warrior. He posted a 14-1 record on the road, the best mark ever for a UT quarterback. And his 34-10 overall record as a starter ranks second-most in victories behind Manning. In 2001, Clausen was the Citrus Bowl MVP and led the Vols to an SEC title game. He ranks second in UT history in career passing yards (9,707) and TD passes (75).
Peyton Manning (1994)
As true freshman: Manning’s iconic career began with breakout freshman season in 1994. He started eight games after Jerry Colquitt’s injury, Todd Helton’s stint and a competition with fellow freshman Branndon Stewart. UT was 7-1 with Manning as starter, including a Gator Bowl win. He was named SEC Freshman of the Year, completing 62% of his passes for 1,141 yards and 11 TDs.
Career: Of course, Manning ascended from his freshman season to all-time greatness. He became UT’s all-time passer with 11,201 yards and 89 TDs. He became UT’s winningest quarterback with a 39-6 record as a starter, including two Citrus Bowl wins and the SEC title. In 1997, Manning won most national player of the year awards except the Heisman Trophy.
Alan Cockrell (1981)
As true freshman: Alan Cockrell started two games in 1981 and suffered a season-ending knee injury. He passed for 119 yards and one TD and rushed for 64 yards and two TDs.
Career: Cockrell started the next two seasons, passing for 3,823 yards and 26 TDs. His UT football claim to fame is upsetting Alabama in back-to-back seasons. But baseball is where we truly excelled as an All-American for the Vols and a first-round draft pick.
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: These 12 Tennessee true freshmen started at quarterback before Faizon Brandon
