Heupel Leaves Tennessee Quarterback Decision Open Ahead of Kentucky Game

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel again declined to name a starting quarterback for the Volunteers' next game against Kentucky, keeping the position unresolved during the team's bye week. Speaking on Wednesday, Heupel said George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon are both practicing and that both worked well that day, leaving the choice publicly open for at least another week.

The uncertainty follows a painful road loss to South Carolina, where MacIntyre played well for much of the afternoon but made a costly mistake late on a key fourth-and-one play, an error Heupel confirmed afterward belonged to the quarterback. Heupel also pointed to parts of MacIntyre's performance that were done at a high level, while noting other areas where he needs to improve. Three MacIntyre touchdowns in that game were wiped out by penalties, plays that would have considerably improved his final numbers. For the season, he has thrown for 728 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions, averaging 7.1 yards per attempt.

Brandon's path adds to the intrigue. He won the starting job over MacIntyre during the offseason and started fast, throwing for 697 yards and seven touchdowns while adding 130 rushing yards and three scores on the ground. An injury against Texas disrupted that run, and he was clearly not at full strength a week later when Heupel turned to MacIntyre. Brandon has not played since the Auburn game, where he was replaced by MacIntyre, and that change has held since.

With a bye week giving Brandon more time to recover, Heupel has at least left open the possibility of returning to him, particularly if the staff wants more athleticism at the position over the final stretch. Even so, MacIntyre would appear to remain the more likely starter against Kentucky next weekend, making a switch back to Brandon a mild surprise if it happens.