Why George MacIntyre should expect to play as Tennessee backup QB
George MacIntyre knows the history of Josh Heupel’s backup quarterbacks at Tennessee. Now he's one of those backups and must be ready to play.
George MacIntyre should anticipate an opportunity to play as Tennessee's backup quarterback for the upcoming season. Josh Heupel has named freshman Faizon Brandon as the starter for the No. 18 Vols when they face Furman on September 5th at Neyland Stadium. The decision to make Brandon the starter will be announced in a press conference on August 24th at 12:15 p.m. ET.
Heupel has a track record of his backups stepping up when needed, as Hendon Hooker started 14 games in 2021, Joe Milton started the final two games in 2022, Nico Iamaleava started after Milton opted out in 2023, and Gaston Moore took over in 2024. MacIntyre acknowledges the precedent set by his predecessors and is prepared for the possibility of playing significant snaps early in the season, even though Brandon is the projected starter.
The Vols will enter the season as heavy favorites against Furman and Kennesaw State, with potentially fewer opportunities for a backup to play late in the season due to the SEC's new nine-game conference schedule starting in 2026.
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