Tennessee received a major gut punch to start the week off with news that Sam Levitt has decided to take his talents to Baton Rouge and play for former Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin.
Josh Hepel now has to completely pivot his plans, as he put all of his eggs in the Sam Leavitt basket. Let’s take a look at three quarterbacks Tennessee needs to prioritize with the heartbreaking Leavitt news.
1. Ty Simpson (Alabama)
The first quarterback that needs to be called is Alabama's Ty Simpson. If he doesn’t get a first-round grade in the NFL draft, Simpson is likely to hit the transfer portal, and he has already been rumored to want to play in Knoxville.
Miami has offered him a massive sum of money, $6.5 million to be exact, so Tennessee will have to be competitive with their offer. Simpson can work through his progressions quickly and throw an accurate ball. The biggest flaw about him is that he regressed this year at Alabama, but he no doubt would be the best option to fill in for the Vols.
He’s not a perfect quarterback, but Heupel should get him on the phone immediately.
2. Beau Pribula (Missouri)
Beau Pribula has already been on a visit to Knoxville, so maybe now Tennessee makes him their number one priority?
Pribula is a good quarterback with SEC experience. He started 10 games for Missouri last fall and was a dual-threat machine. The Tigers were 7-3 with Pribula starting and 3-3 in the SEC.
He threw for 1,941 yards, completing 67.4% of his throws. Pribula had a solid 11 passing touchdowns, but it was hindered by his nine interceptions. One thing that is very appealing about Pribula is that he also added 297 rushing yards and six scores on the ground. He is one of the best quarterbacks in the nation. Heupel could use this to his advantage, scheming up QB power, counter-bash, zone reads, and having the ability to improvise when passing plays break down.
Pribula has a lot of room to improve, but he’s also a very talented quarterback who would help Tennessee compete next fall.
3. Open competition between George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon
Whether fans like it or not, this is an underrated scenario that could actually happen. Many fans are quietly impressed by what George MacIntyre showed last fall in minimal action. The tall pocket passer was 7-for-9 with 69 yards last season. MacIntyre still has room to grow in his processing of the game and getting stronger, but he undoubtedly has a special arm.
Faizon Brandon comes into Knoxville as the No. 2 player in the 2026 class. He is a poised signal-caller who has top 10 NFL Draft potential. Brandon makes plays as a runner, but he is an even better passer. He boasts a quick release and a powerful arm that can drive the ball down the field. All of these qualities make him an excellent option for Heupel, but he's very young.
Tennessee could let the two young quarterbacks compete and take their lumps, but Heupel needs to have a bounce back season in 2026. If the Vols do this, it will surely help down the line, but will it be good enough in the present? These are the questions Josh Heupel and the staff need to answer soon.