Tennessee football fans are angry about coach Josh Heupel’s penalty problem and curious about potentially changing quarterbacks from George MacIntyre to Faizon Brandon.
Admittedly, they’re looking for people to blame and potential solutions after the 17th-ranked Vols (6-2, 3-2 SEC) suffered a frustrating 27-24 loss to South Carolina (4-3, 2-3) on Oct. 24.
UT committed 12 penalties for 90 yards and had three touchdowns nullified by flags. And MacIntyre, the sophomore quarterback, made two critical mistakes in the fourth quarter that led to the loss. That triggered several questions from fans.
Tennessee will play No. 8 Kentucky (7-1, 5-1) on Nov. 7 (time, TV TBA) at Neyland Stadium. As the Vols start their off week, let’s dive into the mailbag.
Why won’t Josh Heupel yell at players for penalties?
I
understand fans’ frustration with Heupel’s lack of visible anger. It’s never been his style to scream at players publicly like some coaches do. But that doesn’t mean he refrains from criticism behind closed doors. If you’re waiting for Heupel to change his approach, I’ve got bad news for you. It’s not going to happen.
Where has Tennessee ranked in penalties under Josh Heupel?
Heupel’s teams are usually among the most penalized in college football. UT ranked 106th in penalty yards in 2021; 124th in 2022; 126th in 2023; 119th in 2024 and 70th in 2025.
UT is ranked 92nd nationally in penalty yards (ninth in SEC) and 107th in number of penalties (11th in SEC) this season.
Why can’t Josh Heupel cut out penalties after six seasons?
There’s no easy answer. A high number of penalties are the norm in his tenure. Some were explainable in his early seasons because of offensive tempo.
Against South Carolina, most of the 12 penalties were of the pre-snap variety, including false start fouls, illegal shift and illegal formation. Those are completely preventable and concerning.
At least some of the fault for those flag lies with coaches who are supposed to prepare players throughout the week.
How can Josh Heupel be held accountable for undisciplined play?
Reporters can question him, and we do. Fans can vent their frustration, and you do. But there’s no straightforward penalty to Heupel for his team’s penalties, unless you count the win-loss record.
If losses lead to his firing a few seasons from now, that’s the closest he’ll get to direct accountability. Persistent problems like penalties and mental mistakes are often cited when a coach's tenure turns south. Heupel isn't on the hot seat. But if he ever gets there, undisciplined play in devastating losses will be a factor.
Should we blame coaches or players for penalties?
That’s your choice, but I think it’s reasonable to hold both accountable. Coaches are supposed to prepare players, and players are supposed to execute. Generally, they both missed the mark against South Carolina.
Why did UT call a George MacIntyre run on fourth-and-1?
MacIntyre was supposed to hand the ball to fullback DaSaahn Brame on the dive play. It was apparently a bad read by the quarterback. Heupel acknowledged that after the game, and MacIntyre seemed to confirm it.
Why did Josh Heupel blame George MacIntyre? It’s his job to prepare him for that play
It’s a fair point. UT ran that play coming out of a timeout, when every detail should’ve been discussed.
It’s hard to know whether MacIntyre’s apparent error was minor or egregious without knowing the details of his pre-snap responsibilities. MacIntyre said, “There are a lot of moving parts to the play with kills and checks and what (defensive) fronts they’re going to run.”
However, Heupel could’ve taken responsibility for not better preparing him for that situation. But I’m glad the coach and quarterback at least admitted why the play didn’t work.
Why didn’t Tennessee kick a field goal on fourth-and-1?
It was the right decision to go for it. Heupel said he liked his play call, and it would’ve worked if executed correctly. Plus, UT was 3-for-3 on fourth downs to that point in the game.
If UT tried a field goal, it would’ve been a 55-yard attempt. At best, that’s on the edge of Cooper Ranvier’s range. If Heupel had opted for the long field goal, I think fans would’ve rightfully criticized him for being too conservative.
Has George MacIntyre hit his ceiling?
In the short term, maybe. You can bet that MacIntyre will pass for between 150 and 250 yards, and he’ll commit a turnover or two. But that level of performance is common for young inexperienced quarterbacks in the SEC. He might play this way the rest of the season.
But in terms of MacIntyre’s career trajectory, he hasn’t hit his ceiling. Remember that he barely played last season, and he’s improving each game, albeit sometimes in small areas.
Plus, MacIntyre would’ve had another 100 yards passing and three TDs if not for penalties. He is throwing the ball better with each performance. In some ways, the South Carolina game was his best and worst performance.
Should Josh Heupel consider going back to Faizon Brandon?
Only if Heupel believes that Brandon gives UT a better chance to beat Kentucky. The Vols are still in the College Football Playoff hunt, Kentucky is a top-10 team and the SEC race is wide open. He can’t make a quarterback decision with next season in mind, at least not yet.
If Heupel was accustomed to playing two quarterbacks, that might be an option. But that’s never been his style. If MacIntyre gives UT the best odds to win, he should continue starting.
Does Faizon Brandon give UT a better shot at beating Kentucky?
The quarterback competition could get tighter during the off week, and coaches could approach it from different angles.
If they believe Brandon wouldn’t have messed up the fourth-and-1 read or fumbled, then perhaps he’s an option. Brandon’s mobility would’ve given UT other options in those situations.
But also consider this: Brandon struggled to process in the passing game before his injury, and MacIntyre is improving in that area. He had three TD passes nullified by penalties, including at least two fouls that had no impact on the play.
If the Vols don’t play Faizon Brandon, will they lose him?
Maybe. But a lot can happen between now and the end of the season.
Does MacIntyre start the rest of the way for a playoff team? Does UT fall out of playoff contention and turn back to Brandon as the starter for the last few games? Do both play inadequately for an 8-4 team, suggesting that a transfer quarterback is needed in 2027?
There are multiple scenarios, so just let it play out.
How can Tennessee play-callers be judged except by fans and media?
Stats provide some useful data. UT ranks 46th in scoring offense at 32.3 points per game and 65th in total offense at 394.5 yards per game. If those numbers held up through the season, they would be the worst offensive rankings of Heupel’s tenure. Granted, UT relies on its ground game, which doesn’t amass yards as quickly as a passing attack. But its offensive production is definitely lacking.
Do you think Josh Heupel mismanaged the clock again?
I actually think he managed it well. UT scored a TD with 24 seconds remaining in the first half to cap a well-timed drive. UT milked the clock in the fourth quarter and would’ve closed out the game if it had converted on fourth-and-1. And UT had time to win it on a field goal if not for MacIntyre’s fumble. Clock management wasn’t a problem.
Did the referees steal that game from Tennessee?
You’d have to be more specific in complaining about a particular play. But I rarely single out officials for dictating the winner of a game. For every bad call for one team, there’s often a counter call on the other team. Fans remember one but forget about the other.
It appeared the officials made the right calls on UT’s nullified touchdowns. Two were alignment issues, and left tackle David Sanders committed an obvious holding penalty. The refs didn’t lose the game. The Vols did.
Do Tennessee’s close losses mitigate damage in playoff race?
The number of losses matters more than the losing margins, especially when comparing SEC teams. But in some circumstances, close losses could give UT an edge. There’s so much parity in the SEC, it’s hard to say how close the race could be.
Did eight weeks without a break contribute to Tennessee mistakes?
It’s a good question, but there’s no way to get a definitive answer. I think some of these miscues are a sign of the times. In the NIL era, young players crack the lineup sooner than later. And in the transfer portal era, teams are thrown together with less continuity than in the past.
Those two factors can sometimes lead to an uptick in mental mistakes, especially when exhaustion sets in against an unrelenting schedule.
Can Tennessee still make the playoff at 10-2?
Yes, absolutely. The bigger question is whether UT can run the table by beating Kentucky, followed by Texas A&M (Nov. 14), LSU (Nov. 21) and Vanderbilt (Nov. 28).
An SEC team might squeeze in the playoff with a 9-3 record, but the Vols can count on that possibility. They’ll probably need to win their final four games to make the bracket.
The first CFP rankings will be released on Nov. 3. Expect Kentucky to be in the projected bracket, meaning the Vols will play a predicted playoff team.
How’s your preseason record prediction looking?
It’s right on target right now. In the preseason, I predicted that Tennessee would be 6-2 at this point with losses to Texas and South Carolina. I’ve tweaked that from week to week during the season, though.
I predicted that UT would go 8-4 this season. I think 9-3 seems more plausible right now, but the possibilities are wide open.
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 fans want Josh Heupel held accountable for chronic penalty problem
