Tennessee QB change: George MacIntyre to make first career start vs. Arkansas

Tennessee quarterback George MacIntyre is set to make his first career start this Saturday against Arkansas, according to multiple reports. MacIntyre will replace Faizon Brandon, who has been sidelined by a shoulder injury sustained during Tennessee’s loss to No. 1 Texas. Brandon started the Volunteers’ first five games but has been dealing with the injury.

MacIntyre, a Tennessee native, made an immediate impact during a victory over Auburn, where he replaced Brandon and provided an immediate boost to the offense. Now, he gets the opportunity to lead Tennessee from the start. Brandon’s first season as Tennessee’s starter began with promise, as he completed 61 of 101 passes for 697 yards, seven touchdowns, and one interception.

However, against SEC competition, Brandon struggled, being sacked 10 times against Texas and injuring his shoulder during the loss. He attempted to play through the injury against Auburn but never looked comfortable. Tennessee’s decision to switch quarterbacks comes after MacIntyre's successful performance in the previous game. MacIntyre, who won't start in the familiar Neyland Stadium, will face a different challenge as Arkansas is a 2-3 team overall and 0-2 in conference play.

The Volunteers enter the game with a 4-1 overall record and 1-1 in the SEC, meaning there's still plenty for them to play for. MacIntyre doesn’t need to revolutionize the offense overnight. He just needs to protect the football, stretch the field to prevent defenses from overloading against running back DeSean Bishop, and provide consistent quarterback play.

If MacIntyre performs well, Heupel might have to make a more intriguing quarterback decision when Brandon recovers.