Unsettled QB competition plus Tennessee football spring game takeaways

Unsettled QB competition plus Tennessee football spring game takeaways

Tennessee football fans watched the first public portion of the Vols’ quarterback competition at the Orange and White Spring Game on April 11, and it appeared little was settled.

Redshirt freshman George MacIntyre and five-star freshman Faizon Brandon both completed about 50% of their passes, and most were under 10 yards in a conservative offensive performance.

Colorado transfer Ryan Staub tossed a touchdown pass with third-team and walk-on players on the field. He is expected to be a reserve quarterback. The real competition is between MacIntyre and Brandon.

Coach Josh Heupel said he wouldn’t pick a starter in spring. He poked fun at the fact that the 48,000 fans in attendance might pick their early favorite.

“Nobody will have an opinion,” Heupel said jokingly. "... But I do love the growth from (the quarterbacks). There’s a lot of positives (and) a lot of things that they have to work on. They have to continue to grow. And I expect everybody on this roster, and the quarterbacks included, to be a lot better when they come back and we start in August.”

Here are five more takeaways from the Orange and White Spring Game.

Chaz Coleman absent due to ‘off the field’ issues

Penn State transfer Chaz Coleman, the No. 1 edge rusher in the transfer portal, missed multiple practices and the spring game. Heupel indicated it was due to personal matters.

“Ultimately, Chaz is dealing with some things off the field. He’s got to handle that," Heupel said. "We are here to help and support him."

Coleman was a five-star transfer and the No. 1 edge rusher in the portal, according to 247Sports. He enrolled at UT in January, following defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and two other assistant coaches from Penn State.

Coleman went through winter workouts and about half of spring practice, but he hasn’t been on the field recently.

Tulane transfer Javin Gordon flashes backfield talent

UT needs a running mate to pair with DeSean Bishop, a returning 1,000-yard rusher and All-SEC performer.

Tulane transfer Javin Gordon made his case for the job with the best highlight of the game. He broke a couple of tackles en route to a 61-yard TD run.

Gordon rushed for 516 yards and five TDs as a redshirt freshman at Tulane in 2025. He is competing with sophomores Daune Morris and Justin Baker. UT could utilize a backfield duo to trio, led by Bishop.

Lockdown coverage points to cornerback depth

Granted, the passing offense is a work in progress amid the quarterback competition. But UT touts talent and experience at wide receiver, so it was notable how well the defensive secondary covered routes.

All-SEC cornerback Ty Redmond continued his strong spring. He had lockdown coverage to deny a deep pass from MacIntyre. Auburn transfer Kayin Lee and Miami transfer Jadais Richard also broke up passes at cornerback.

UT added eight defensive backs from the transfer portal. Cornerbacks Colton Hood and Jermod McCoy, who missed the 2025 season with a knee injury, are projected first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Cooper Ranvier perfect on field goals

It was a low-scoring game bookended by early and late touchdowns.

UT started the spring game with reserves on the field. Staub tossed a 75-yard TD pass to walk-on wide receiver Carson Whitehead on a busted coverage. Gordon capped the scrimmage with a 61-yard TD run.

Louisville transfer Cooper Ranvier made field goals from 38 and 45 yards during the scrimmage period. He also nailed some long field goals, including a 50-yarder, during pregame drills. Ranvier replaced Max Gilbert, who transferred to Arkansas. Josh Turbyville, the returning kickoff specialist, made a 37-yard field goal.

Karlyn Pickens no-hitter, Alvin Kamara drew loudest cheers

There was a standing ovation and a loud roar in Neyland Stadium, but neither had anything to do with the play on the field.

Before kicking off the spring game, former UT running back Alvin Kamara was recognized for making a large philanthropic gift to UT athletics. The NFL star waved to the crowd, which gave him extended applause.

Late in the first half, the offense was in the red zone. But much of the crowd was watching the UT softball game against Kentucky playing on the stadium video boards.

Fans cheered loudly when star pitcher Karlyn Pickens got the final out to secure her fourth career no-hitter in the Lady Vols’ 5-0 win.

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter*@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.*

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football Orange and White Spring Game QB competition, key takeaways