4 Tennessee studs who will give Faizon Brandon major relief in Year 1 as the starter

Things had been pointing in this direction for a little while. In the news that countless Tennessee fans were waiting for, Faizon Brandon has been named the starting quarterback for the season-opener against Furman. With that, the pressure is on for the 5-star freshman to deliver, while the future of George MacIntyre couldn't be more unclear moving forward.

Despite that, the focus has to be on Brandon and how the Vols can put him in the best position possible to succeed in Year 1. In order for that to happen, both sides of the ball as a whole are going to have to operate at a strong level, but on offense, there are four guys in particular we have our eyes on - oh and one position group. Confused? We make sense of things below.

4. DeSean Bishop must be given the pigskin early and often for the Vols

Time and time again, running back DeSean Bishop keeps getting brought up as someone who can be a real impact player for Brandon and Heupel. That's not a surprise, as the power back rushed for over 1,000 yards last season, giving everyone a taste of his abilities when he's the featured back.

That will once again be the case in 2026, as Bishop has put on even more size to his frame. He's incredibly difficult to bring down, which everyone will be reminded of against Furman on Sept. 5. It's going to be on Heupel to make sure the ground game gets going each Saturday, as it will no question help take some pressure off of the Vols' new starting quarterback.

3. David Sanders Jr. must play to a 5-star level, while the rest of the OL must deliver too

After some ups and downs, including an injury, during his true freshman season, David Sanders Jr. is hoping to take a giant step forward during his sophomore year. It goes without saying, but with him protecting Brandon's blindside, Sanders will need to be at his absolute best.

At the same time, the entire Tennessee offensive line needs to do its job. When someone is a true freshman quarterback, they need the proper time to scan the field and not feel like they're going to be running for their lives each down. Brandon needs to be comfortable in the pocket and not feel like he needs to rush things. That's stating the obvious, sure, but with him being just 18 years old, it adds to the importance of the entire offensive line showing up to work with their hard hats on to get the job done.

2. Will the real Mike Matthews please stand up?

Is this the year that wide receiver Mike Matthews is going to break out in the way everyone has been waiting on? A 5-star receiver out of the 2024 class, Matthews hasn't quite reached the kind of level of production people have expected of him, but 2025 was nothing to sneeze at. Last year, the 6-foot-1 wideout finished with 53 receptions for 813 yards and four touchdowns.

Pretty dang solid if you ask us, but now is the time for Matthews to take things to the next level. With that, he has the opportunity to flirt with 1,000 yards if things go to plan for him. The sooner he and Brandon can build a strong bond with one another, the better.

1. Braylon Staley has what it takes to be a WR1-type player for Tennessee

Also at receiver, everyone has to pay attention to Braylon Staley, as just like Matthews, he has the tools to be the WR1 for Heupel. Staley is coming off a solid year in 2025, recording 68 receptions for 837 yards and six touchdowns. Few people have forgotten about his stellar showing in the deflating loss to Oklahoma too.

In that defeat, the speedster had five receptions for 75 yards and two scores. Coming up this season, Brandon is going to look his way quite a bit, and Staley will need to showcase his reliable hands throughout the campaign. If he can do that, life will indeed be made easier for Brandon. In short, the young quarterback and the Vols as a whole, will need everyone to do their part from now until (hopefully) January. 

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