Tennessee: George MacIntyre vs. Faizon Brandon
Tennessee football has had a somewhat lackluster past few years. It seems as if they are recruiting well, and they have dominated games—until it’s a big one. It’s like there is a hump that the Volunteers just can’t get past. But maybe 5-star recruit Faizon Brandon can be that guy this year. Or possibly even second-year quarterback George MacIntyre.
It looks like most sports outlets are leaning toward George MacIntyre to be the guy this year. MacIntyre is a redshirt freshman going into this season. He did have very little playing time last year, but not nearly enough to evaluate fully. MacIntyre was a 4-star recruit out of high school, coming from Brentwood Academy in Tennessee. The main thing I see with MacIntyre right now is that he is a hometown kid who already has a year under Heupel. I think MacIntyre might be the safer decision at quarterback this year.
On the other hand, you have a monster recruit in Faizon Brandon. Brandon is a 6’4”, 220-pound quarterback coming all the way from North Carolina. In terms of the eye test, Brandon’s got it. But because he is a true freshman, there’s reason to be concerned about how he will perform in the difficulty of the SEC. Brandon would definitely be the riskier option, but he also has a higher ceiling than MacIntyre simply because of his physical attributes.
Out of all the QB battles this offseason, this one might be the biggest toss-up. I love the idea of Faizon Brandon and what he is capable of. But I think the smarter decision is to go with MacIntyre and let Brandon watch and learn this year. The only risk with that approach is retaining Brandon next offseason and hoping he doesn’t leave for a starting job elsewhere.
