The Tennessee Volunteers are a few months away from the 2026 football season, and some concerns need to be addressed. Although the Vols filled most of their positional needs through the transfer portal in the offseason, there are still two major questions they need answered to maximize their success in 2026:
Quarterback Battle
Tennessee’s starting quarterback battle between George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon is not only a major topic among Vols fans, but it’s also arguably the biggest position battle in the SEC. Since 2022, the Volunteers have had four different starting quarterbacks. Now that former Vols quarterback Joey Aguilar was denied an additional year of eligibility for next season, Tennessee will have five starting quarterbacks in five seasons.
Luckily for the Volunteers, head coach Josh Heupel has found nothing but success with his last five QBs. During that period, Tennessee’s starting quarterbacks have averaged nearly 3,032 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions per season. Even Aguilar exceeded expectations in his first and only season with the Vols, despite only having a few months to learn the offense.
Both MacIntyre and Brandon have strong cases for becoming Tennessee’s starting QB. It would not be surprising to see MacIntyre be the starter for the season opener against Furman, but don’t be shocked if Brandon plays meaningful snaps in that game.
What gives MacIntyre the edge is his familiarity with Tennessee’s offense. Last season, he served as the third-string quarterback, completing 77.8% of his passes for 69 yards in two games. However, there is not a large enough sample size to be confident that he will be the Volunteers’ starter for the entire season.
Outside of MacIntyre’s experience, he appeared to be an exceptional passer in high school. He served as Brentwood Academy’s starting quarterback for two seasons. During his senior season, the former four-star quarterback completed 67.3% of his passes for 3,229 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, leading his squad to the Tennessee Division II-AAA state quarterfinals.
However, Brandon had arguably the better high school career. Brandon was a five-star recruit and was rated as the No. 3 player in the country, according to 247Sports. The talented true freshman led his high school program to back-to-back state championships in 2024 and 2025, showcasing his ability to win.
On top of his team’s success, Brandon was a three-year starter at Grimsley High School and threw only one interception for every 98 attempts over his career. In his junior season, he earned Gatorade and MaxPreps Player of the Year honors for the state of North Carolina. That season, he completed 77.1% of his passes for 2,814 yards, including 35 touchdowns and two interceptions. Additionally, Brandon ran for 625 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging eight yards per attempt.
Brandon has a bigger ceiling than MacIntyre, but the biggest question is whether Heupel trusts his team to be led by a true freshman.
Chaz Coleman Dilemma
The Volunteers made a huge splash this offseason, acquiring Penn State defensive end Chaz Coleman in the 2026 transfer portal. Coleman was the No. 17 overall prospect and the No. 3 edge rusher, according to 247Sports. He was arguably Tennessee’s most important pickup this offseason, considering the losses of Joshua Josephs to the NFL Draft, Jordan Ross to LSU and Caleb Herring to South Carolina.
However, it is uncertain whether Coleman will even play for Tennessee in 2026. Back in April, it was reported that Coleman would miss the Vols’ spring game due to off-field issues. During that time, Heupel addressed the media about Coleman’s absence:
“Ultimately, Chaz is dealing with some things off the field. He’s got to handle that,” Heupel said back in April. “We are here to help and support him.”
Although there hasn’t been any confirmation about what Coleman has been dealing with, multiple rumors are circulating that he was having a hard time adjusting to Knoxville and was homesick. However, it is almost July, and Coleman still hasn’t reported to summer workouts.
On May 10, Coleman posted an Instagram story with images of him posing with stacks of money, which has ruffled some feathers on social media. Users on X have argued that this is a byproduct of the NIL era of college football, but it is concerning for the Vols, to say the least.
If Coleman can’t find his way on the field this season, then Tennessee will have to get creative with its defensive line, considering how thin it is at the defensive end position. Outside of Tulane transfer Jordan Norman, the Vols don’t have a clear option to replace Coleman at the edge position.
So, this could become a huge issue for Tennessee in 2026, and the Vols might have to rotate interior defensive linemen, such as Penn State transfer Xavier Gilliam, to fill the void. Hopefully, for the Vols’ sake, they can get Coleman back in practice so that he can contribute to the team this season. If not, Tennessee might be in trouble.
