The first spring scrimmage is now complete, and the Tennessee Vols have a big couple of weeks of practice left. Tennessee is in the middle of a quarterback battle between Faizon Brandon and George MacIntyre, all while defensive coordinator Jim Knowles is installing a new defense.
Faizon Brandon faces early spring struggles
When Josh Heupel was asked about ther first spring scrimmage, he brought up the defense and said. "I thought defensively we played extremely well, created a couple turnovers. Didn’t give up a lot of big plays, so a good day."
This is a very encouraging sign for the defense. In 2025, Tennessee's defense was abysmal, ranking No. 92 in FBS in points allowed per game. The Vols weren't horrible and giving up big plays, but consistent five and six-yard gains last fall killed Tennessee. Seeing Knowles already has an impact is huge momentum booster as we inch towards the summer.
Overall, Heupel has been satisfied with the intensity and the competitiveness of the 2026 team. He said:
"I like the physical traits, but I like the competitive makeup of this group. You don’t have to push them to get going. They embrace every opportunity on the field. I like the way they have attacked everything we’re doing."
Tennessee's defense has raised the bar
For those of you worried about the offense, don't hit the panic button. Defenses are always ahead of the offense early, and Tennessee has two young quarterbacks learning the system and fighting for a job. The turnovers aren't a great sign, but stuff happens. It's only March. Plus, while Tennesse does have a new defensive system with Knowles, he seemingly brought over half of Penn State's defense with him to Knoxville. It's okay for the offense to have some bumps in the road.
The encouraging part is that Tennesse might be having a little identity shift. If Tennesse can go into 2026 without the top score of 49 points to win a game, that will be a monumental boost. Overall, Heupel is happy with the competitiveness of this group, and that's a great sign. They just have to continue progressing, and it will all shake itself out.