Josh Pate delivers take on Tennessee's 5-star QB that fans needed to hear right now

Yes, it hurts that Joey Aguilar didn't get another year of eligibility and won't be leading the Tennessee Volunteer offense next season.

However, it doesn't do anybody any good to treat it as though the world is ending and the season will be a complete waste. Especially because, well, it won't be.

Yahoo Sports and On3's Josh Pate, a national college football analyst, recently shared that he's actually really excited to see the Vols' offense this year, and that's due in large part to someone who joined the roster last year: Faizon Brandon.

Faizon Brandon can keep Tennessee hopes alive

"That's what Faizon Brandon is here for," Pate said. "That's the first opportunity that [Tennessee]'s got to grow a kid in-house that's gonna give us two plus years."

Of course, Pate was talking about the fact that Tennessee hasn't had the same starting quarterback from season to season in, seemingly, forever. In fact, since head coach Josh Heupel took over in 2021, he hasn't had the same QB1 for back-to-back seasons.

Brandon was a five-star prospect and the No. 3 quarterback in the class of 2026. While he hasn't seen any in-game action yet and is about to play his true-freshman season, he is very likely to become the next go-to guy in the backfield for Heupel and the Volunteers.

Over four years of varsity high school football, Brandon amassed 7,490 passing yards for 90 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions. He added 1,494 yards and 24 more touchdowns on the ground, and even made a few defensive tackles when he needed to.

Brandon committed to Tennessee over powerhouse programs like the Alabama Crimson Tide, Ohio State Buckeyes, Georgia Bulldogs, and about two dozen other teams.

Simply put, the Vols have a beast who has been waiting in the wings, and now, it is his time to shine in Knoxville.