Quarterback George MacIntyre will make his first career start for Tennessee football against Arkansas on Oct. 10, a source confirmed to Knox News.
The source requested anonymity because UT has not made an official announcement.
Five-star freshman Faizon Brandon started the first five games of the season. But he was benched in favor of MacIntyre in the second quarter of a 24-14 win over Auburn on Oct. 3.
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 in UT’s first SEC road game of the season.
MacIntyre is a sophomore and former Brentwood Academy standout. He has played in four games this season as Brandon’s backup. That included two relief appearances late in UT wins, a brief stint
against Texas when Brandon was injured, and the Auburn game to replace an ineffective Brandon.
MacIntyre has completed 70% (14-20) of his passes for 148 yards and one TD. He doesn’t have a rushing attempt this season, and he hasn’t been sacked.
Against Furman, MacIntyre completed 5 of 7 passes for 56 yards, one TD and no interceptions. Against Texas, he completed 1 of 3 passes for 6 yards. He didn’t attempt a pass against Kennesaw State.
MacIntyre showed poise in the pocket after replacing Brandon in the Auburn game. He completed 8 of 10 passes for 86 yards, no TDs and no interceptions. Extending the pass game also loosened up Auburn’s defense, which helped DeSean Bishop to rush for a career-high 220 yards and three TDs.
Brandon has completed 60.4% (61-101) of his passes for 697 yards, seven TDs and one interception. He has rushed for 130 yards and three TDs. And he’s been sacked 16 times.
Brandon played well against Furman, Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State while getting his feet wet as a college quarterback. He flashed his running ability and protected the ball. But he didn’t take many chances in the passing game, and he didn’t face much pressure against inferior opponents.
Brandon’s play predictably dropped off in SEC games against Texas and Auburn, and miscues on the offensive line didn’t help.
Against Auburn, Brandon showed effects of that Texas game. He was indecisive in the passing game and sometimes bailed out of the pocket prematurely. He was benched in the second quarter with zero passing yards on three completions and minus-9 yards rushing.
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: Quarterback George MacIntyre to start for Tennessee football vs Arkansas
