Starting QB Faizon Brandon (Fr)

#77
#77
Dobbs 4 Heisman said:
I meant the era of 5-stars sitting and waiting their turn. I never said busts would stop happening. College is now like the NFL and the more money you make the more impact you better make on the field. Michigan for example didn't pay Bryce Underwood $3 mil/yr as a true freshman to sit on the bench.
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This year's 5-star QBs:
1. Underwood (Michigan): Starting
2. Keelon Russell (Alabama): Not Starting
3. Tavien St. Clair (Ohio State): Not Starting
4. Husan Longstreet (USC): Not Starting
5. Deuce Knight (Auburn): Not Starting. (20 passing yards. Rumors he's starting this week.)

You can keep saying that the days of 5-star FR sitting are over, but reality hasn't caught up to your opinions yet.
 
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#78
#78
UT97Vol said:
First I will offer my two cents that today's game is very different than the one played in the mid-90s.

That said Peyton definitely should not get credit for four losses. Todd Helton started and played most of the games that were lost against Florida and Georgia. Peyton only played sparingly along with Brandon Stewart.

Peyton's first start was against Washington St. As a true freshman Peyton went 8-1 as the teams starter with the only loss that season coming to Bama.
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Peyton Manning was an actual generational QB who picked up college ball quickly, pro ball quickly, and went on to become one of the best QBs ever.

He's an outlier by any measure.

"Well, Peyton did it......" is the craziest reason of all to extrapolate that Faizon Brandon will do it.

I get fandom but WTF? Yes, there have been some incredibly gifted and precocious QBs that have existed. They aren't the norm for SEC QBs.

This is classic VN setting up a scenario for disappointment. All I'm saying is: look at the odds, tell HOPE to take her sash and sit in the corner, and don't torture yourself.
 
#79
#79
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
Peyton Manning was an actual generational QB who picked up college ball quickly, pro ball quickly, and went on to become one of the best QBs ever.

He's an outlier by any measure.

"Well, Peyton did it......" is the craziest reason of all to extrapolate that Faizon Brandon will do it.

I get fandom but WTF? Yes, there have been some incredibly gifted and precocious QBs that have existed. They aren't the norm for SEC QBs.

This is classic VN setting up a scenario for disappointment. All I'm saying is: look at the odds, tell HOPE to take her sash and sit in the corner, and don't torture yourself.
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I don't disagree, which is why I've said multiple times we will hit the portal for a QB. Just pointing out that Peyton didn't start three of those losses that year.
 
#80
#80
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
Are cars better now because they are outrageously priced? Houses?

Market value has nothing to do with actual worth. Prices inflate because of market pressure NOT because the player is better.
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I'm talking about the economic factors that will force guys on the field earlier nowadays. I was not trying to imply players are better now.
 
#82
#82
Vols410 said:
This year's 5-star QBs:
1. Underwood (Michigan): Starting
2. Keelon Russell (Alabama): Not Starting
3. Tavien St. Clair (Ohio State): Not Starting
4. Husan Longstreet (USC): Not Starting
5. Deuce Knight (Auburn): Not Starting. (20 passing yards. Rumors he's starting this week.)

You can keep saying that the days of 5-star FR sitting are over, but reality hasn't caught up to your opinions yet.
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Alabama and Ohio State have Heisman QBs ahead of them. If Joey Aguilar was coming back then yes Faizon would sit. But short of an elite veteran starter Keelon and Tavien would probably have played this year like Bryce.
 
#83
#83
NighthawkVol said:
Novel concept…

None of us know who will be the starting QB next year. We don’t know how much weight GMac will gain or how much he will improve over the offseason or, hell, how good he is right now.

We don’t know how ready Faizon will be as a true freshman, how he will adapt to SEC speed, concepts, process, etc.

There will be a competition in the spring and fall to determine all of that. We don’t know. Heupel doesn’t know. It’s ridiculous to act like we know who will be the starting QB in 2026. Or who SHOULD be the starting QB in 2026. Because we have no idea.

We know we have 2 guys with talent who will compete.
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I know….
All these other rascals don’t, but I guarantee you
Faizon Brandon is the starting QB for Tennessee.


Just trust me for once.
 
#84
#84
UT97Vol said:
I don't disagree, which is why I've said multiple times we will hit the portal for a QB. Just pointing out that Peyton didn't start three of those losses that year.
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My issue with the going to the portal, which we simply MUST do IMO, is G-Mac deciding "they skipped me" and hitting the portal himself.

Get a splash SEC starter ready QB with 2 years left...... G-Mac is dissed and can potentially enter the portal.

Get a marginal SEC caliber QB....... if G-Mac isn't "that dude" and ready for the SEC, we have a marginal QB and a true freshman. Ditto if G-Mac gets injured.

The QB we get has to be okay with potentially never playing...... being beaten out by G-Mac and if they have another year, being beaten out by Faizon the year after..... but they have to be serviceable enough to take over if G-Mac, with little game hardened experience, is a "great practice QB but not a game ready guy" as we've seen previously.

Heupel is going to have to find someone with the temperament of Milton, who acted completely professional and honorable after Hooker beat him out, BUT Milton knew he had the next year locked up because, despite VN insisting it happens, Nico wouldn't be ready.

This year's portal QB has to be as professional as Milton while realizing they probably will never start at UT. It's a tough get.
 
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#85
#85
Brave Volunteer said:
Maybe I'm misremembering, but other than the bowl game against Iowa, I don't remember there being much of a run element to Nico's game at all.
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Nico ran for 400 yards and 4 TDs (including bowl game)
More importantly he ran for 11 1st downs.
You don’t remember his 50 yard TD QB power run against the Wolfpack?

Or how about his 18 yards scramble against Vandy to on 3rd and 15 on a scoring drive?

Or how about his 27 yards scramble against run Alabama on 3rd and long.

I didn’t ask you to like the dude, but completely denying that he was a DT is dumb…
 
#86
#86
Dobbs 4 Heisman said:
I'm talking about the economic factors that will force guys on the field earlier nowadays. I was not trying to imply players are better now.
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What pushes guys on the field is talent, not economics. If you can't afford to be a contender, you just can't, but you HAVE to have the talent on the field, even if they are walk ons, or you're not going to win.

Don't be crazy. If you pay a lot and the car sucks, you don't drive it and get stranded on the road just because you paid so much. You drive the car that will get you where you're going.

Successful teams will play the guys who can get the job done. You give NIL WAAAAAAAY too much power.

If you can't afford to pay for future results, you can't afford to be an elite team.
 
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#87
#87
Dobbs 4 Heisman said:
Alabama and Ohio State have Heisman QBs ahead of them. If Joey Aguilar was coming back then yes Faizon would sit. But short of an elite veteran starter Keelon and Tavien would probably have played this year like Bryce.
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Doesn't explain the others still. The scenario you describe may happen. I'm just saying the absolutes you deal in don't hold weight given what's actually happen to date.
 
#88
#88
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
My issue with the going to the portal, which we simply MUST do IMO, is G-Mac deciding "they skipped me" and hitting the portal himself.

Get a splash SEC starter ready QB with 2 years left...... G-Mac is dissed and can potentially enter the portal.

Get a marginal SEC caliber QB....... if G-Mac isn't "that dude" and ready for the SEC, we have a marginal QB and a true freshman. Ditto if G-Mac gets injured.

The QB we get has to be okay with potentially never playing...... being beaten out by G-Mac and if they have another year, being beaten out by Faizon the year after..... but they have to be serviceable enough to take over if G-Mac, with little game hardened experience, is a "great practice QB but not a game ready guy" as we've seen previously.

Heupel is going to have to find someone with the temperament of Milton, who acted completely professional and honorable after Hooker beat him out, BUT Milton knew he had the next year locked up because, despite VN insisting it happens, Nico wouldn't be ready.

This year's portal QB has to be as professional as Milton while realizing they probably will never start at UT. It's a tough get.
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Fair enough. I personally don't think that is the direction they go. Joey basically had weeks to learn the offense and beat out both guys. I'm not saying G-Mac can't or won't be the guy, because I was one of the first that said he's ahead of Merk in the spring (regardless of depth chart). So, he could be the guy. Even though I'm high on him, I still think the staff is going to target highly experienced options and if they can get someone like that they will and let them compete. It's a dangerous game for the coaches to worry about who is going to hit the portal when they make the best move for the team.

And based on what we know and what we've seen so far looking for the best QB in the portal - not someone who can fill a roster spot or a backup role - is and where they should be. I probably would have been where you are if Mac had gotten more snaps this year. He simply just has not see enough of the field to know how he's going to perform in game situations.
 
#89
#89
UT97Vol said:
Fair enough. I personally don't think that is the direction they go. Joey basically had weeks to learn the offense and beat out both guys. I'm not saying G-Mac can't or won't be the guy, because I was one of the first that said he's ahead of Merk in the spring (regardless of depth chart). So, he could be the guy. Even though I'm high on him, I still think the staff is going to target highly experienced options and if they can get someone like that they will and let them compete. It's a dangerous game for the coaches to worry about who is going to hit the portal when they make the best move for the team.

And based on what we know and what we've seen so far looking for the best QB in the portal - not someone who can fill a roster spot or a backup role - is and where they should be. I probably would have been where you are if Mac had gotten more snaps this year. He simply just has not see enough of the field to know how he's going to perform in game situations.
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Yes, but if we make a splash QB portal get and G-Mac hits the portal immediately, we're rolling with our splash QB and Faizon. Yikes.

As soon as we sign the "best QB we can get" who looks like a starter, G-Mac HAS to say to himself "Do I risk beating out this guy, which I probably can't, or beating Faizon next year.......or go somewhere where I'm picked to be the incoming portal starter?"

You see the problem. As soon as you sign that starting QB for this year, G-Mac has a decision to make about his potential to EVER start at UT.
 
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#90
#90
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
Yes, but if we make a splash QB portal get and G-Mac hits the portal immediately, we're rolling with our splash QB and Faizon. Yikes.

As soon as we sign the "best QB we can get" who looks like a starter, G-Mac HAS to say to himself "Do I risk beating out this guy, which I probably can't, or beating Faizon next year.......or go somewhere where I'm picked to be the incoming portal starter?"

You see the problem. As soon as you sign that starting QB for this year, G-Mac has a decision to make about his potential to EVER start at UT.
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Would you make your decision process like that if you were the coach? Well, this really good QB wants to come here, but I'm gonna say nah because an unproven RS freshman QB might transfer.

So, you're in coaches shoes. Are you really going to roll into next season with three young and/or or unproven QB's - including one you plucked out of the portal just to play the third fiddle on the off chance he's worthy of the starter role? Or are you going to put the best players on the roster you can possibly get. Personally, if it was my job I know which one I'm pursuing.
 
#91
#91
UT97Vol said:
Would you make your decision process like that if you were the coach? Well, this really good QB wants to come here, but I'm gonna say nah because an unproven RS freshman QB might transfer.

So, you're in coaches shoes. Are you really going to roll into next season with three young and/or or unproven QB's - including one you plucked out of the portal just to play the third fiddle on the off chance he's worthy of the starter role? Or are you going to put the best players on the roster you can possibly get. Personally, if it was my job I know which one I'm pursuing.
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The risk is rolling into next year with essentially 2 QBs if G-Mac immediately transfers when we pick up that really good QB from the portal.

Would you want to roll into next year with 2 QBs? I wouldn't.

Can Heupel talk to G-Mac and say, "I'm going to the portal because I have to have 2 QBs + Faizon and it's possible I may recruit over you. Are you staying anyway for me?" and somehow G-Mac says "Sure, coach. I don't care if I'm risking never starting in college, I'm here for you."

You seem to think G-Mac has to just accept that Heupel recruits over him. Pre-portal and multiple no penalty transfers...... that was true. It's not true now.

Your plan seriously risks UT rolling into 2026 with 2 QBs with real SEC potential.
 
#92
#92
As a coach I'm not making a decision based on what a 19-yo might do. If Mac decides to hit the portal then CJH may be forced to add a second portal QB. I don't think this is an either or situation. There's more than a binary choice here. He may end up adding two portal QBs anyway. It's very unusual to only be carrying 3 QBs at the collegiate level. Although we do have Mason Phillips on the roster so technically four right now. But I digress. It's a fluid situation and we will see what happens.
 
#93
#93
UT97Vol said:
As a coach I'm not making a decision based on what a 19-yo might do. If Mac decides to hit the portal then CJH may be forced to add a second portal QB. I don't think this is an either or situation. There's more than a binary choice here. He may end up adding two portal QBs anyway. It's very unusual to only be carrying 3 QBs at the collegiate level. Although we do have Mason Phillips on the roster so technically four right now. But I digress. It's a fluid situation and we will see what happens.
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I don't think G-Mac came to UT to never start. We can accept that Merk is leaving because he wants to play, not sit, and I'll insist that the same is true for G-Mac. I can't see that as being an unreasonable viewpoint at all.

Phillips is like me with grandkids. I'm the very very last guy on the pickup list for school. If you're down to me, things are well off the rails and you're just hoping everyone gets home alive and not covered in some kind of soft ice cream and dog fur. It's a 50-50 bet.
 
#94
#94
LittleVol said:
I know….
All these other rascals don’t, but I guarantee you
Faizon Brandon is the starting QB for Tennessee.


Just trust me for once.
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For once? For once?! How many times have I trusted you and it got me burned?!

"Trust me, The Mouse's Ear is a classy joint..."

"Trust me, Al Wilson likes to be slapped in the face..."

"Trust me, the Titans are building a dynasty!..."

I'm though trusting you!
 
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#96
#96
volfan411 said:
I get the Simpson and Manning arguments on sitting and waiting their turn but the last few years starting QB NIL money has skyrocketed. I agree with him in can we afford to pay both Brandon and G-Mac starting dollars?? Then add in we are going to have to pay someone to come in and be a depth piece so I am just not sure the money couldn't be spent on better skill positions players.
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His claim was that a 5* QB who doesn't start as a freshman is a bust, citing Nico and Arch. Simpson was a 5* QB who sat as a freshman. And 2 more years after that. Is he a bust?
 
#97
#97
Faizon comes in early, goes through spring ball, he will have every chance to win the job as a frosh. My gut feeling is he might just win the job. He is the top rated QB in several services for a reason.
Either way don't think G Mac has the frame to last all year long -so Faizon needs to be ready. Faizon reminds me of Dobbs running the football and Hooker throwing. Hoping Hype offers Joey A a job as a GA and let him mentor !!!
 
#98
#98
Vols410 said:
This year's 5-star QBs:
1. Underwood (Michigan): Starting
2. Keelon Russell (Alabama): Not Starting
3. Tavien St. Clair (Ohio State): Not Starting
4. Husan Longstreet (USC): Not Starting
5. Deuce Knight (Auburn): Not Starting. (20 passing yards. Rumors he's starting this week.)

You can keep saying that the days of 5-star FR sitting are over, but reality hasn't caught up to your opinions yet.
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And Underwood has been average.
 
#99
#99
Posts like this are nice to stir a conversation when bored but we all know every position on the field (especially QB) is open for competition.

Best come ready.
 
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#100
#100
1SmokinVol said:
Faizon comes in early, goes through spring ball, he will have every chance to win the job as a frosh. My gut feeling is he might just win the job. He is the top rated QB in several services for a reason.
Either way don't think G Mac has the frame to last all year long -so Faizon needs to be ready. Faizon reminds me of Dobbs running the football and Hooker throwing. Hoping Hype offers Joey A a job as a GA and let him mentor !!!
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I'll remind you that Nico was extremely highly rated also and much of the same hype accompanied him..... "He's going to come in as a freshman starter. He's rated #1 for a reason. TREMENDOUS get for UT. He'll beat out Milton for the starting job easily."

Very little of the hype came to pass. While Nico wasn't a bad QB, he wasn't a phenom just because he was highly rated nor did he not live up to expectations just because of family drama.

The jump from HS to SEC isn't easy for any QB and while Faizon will get every chance to take the job, it's highly likely that like Nico, he's not ready right out of HS.
 
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