Overview
- Tennessee held a closed scrimmage on Aug. 15 that produced no official starter as head coach Josh Heupel said he will review tape before deciding who opens the season.
- Heupel praised the progress of redshirt freshman George MacIntyre and true freshman Faizon Brandon but said both have been inconsistent and need more reps in live work.
- A local insider who attended the scrimmage reported that Brandon has the current momentum in the competition, though the report is unconfirmed by the coaching staff.
- The Vols enter the decision with a strong supporting offense—an experienced offensive line, a deep running-back room and veteran receivers—that could ease a freshman starter’s transition.
- Edrees Farooq will miss the 2026 season with a knee injury, elevating TJ Metcalf and Dejuan Lane as leading options in the secondary and increasing the importance of the Aug. 22 intrasquad scrimmage.