Five College Football Teams Are About to Get Answers at Quarterback, and Spring Practice Is Running Out of Time

Spring practice is wrapping up across college football this month, and that means coaching staffs have maybe a week or two left to figure out who's starting under center when the 2026 season kicks off. Five Power Four programs are still locked in quarterback battles with no clear winner yet, and the clock is ticking fast.

Schools get 15 spring practices total to sort out positions, install schemes, and settle competitions before everyone breaks for three months. Multiple scrimmages and spring games give coaches live ammunition to see who actually belongs in the huddle when it counts. For transfer QBs especially, these weeks are crucial. They need to build chemistry, learn the playbook, and prove they can execute when the defense is flying at them.

Tennessee's Mystery Under Center

This one is wild. Tennessee lost starter Joey Aguilar after a Knoxville judge denied his request for another season, so coach Josh Heupel had to pivot fast. Now he's choosing between redshirt freshman George MacIntyre, true freshman Faizon Brandon, and Colorado transfer Ryan Staub.

MacIntyre barely played last year with just nine passing attempts. Staub started two games in three years at Colorado. Brandon came in as the No. 3 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class and has the highest ceiling of the three.

After Tennessee's second scrimmage this month, Heupel kept his cards close, saying MacIntyre and Brandon split reps and praising both for their decision-making. He's given almost nothing away about who he's leaning toward. "For a true freshman getting here in January, seven weeks of offseason...he's been really sound in what he's done," Heupel said about Brandon after a closed scrimmage. "There's still a lot left for him and everybody in that room for us to be what we need to." This is the SEC's hardest quarterback race to project right now.

Florida State Adjusting to New Leadership

Auburn transfer Ashton Daniels is the frontrunner at Florida State, with Kevin Sperry as the challenger. But both have made mistakes early as the Seminoles get used to a new offensive scheme under coach Mike Norvell, who's calling plays after Gus Malzahn retired.

Daniels originally signed with Stanford before transferring to Auburn, where he lost the starting job to Jackson Arnold last fall. He still got significant playing time down the stretch, finishing with 797 passing yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, plus 280 yards rushing with a pair of scores. He played in four games and preserved his redshirt.

After Florida State's second scrimmage, Norvell said both QBs "had a couple decisions to learn from" while facing live defense. It's early, but Daniels has the experience edge.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.