Tennessee gearing up for second preseason camp scrimmage on Saturday

KNOXVILLE — The Tennessee Vols football team had an off day from the practice field on Thursday ahead of the final scheduled dress rehearsal of the preseason on Saturday in Neyland Stadium. The upcoming scrimmage will likely go a long way in deciding the ongoing quarterback battle between sophomore George MacIntyre and freshman Faizon Brandon. Both signal callers have had solid camps, so being back in a more game-like environment could be the ultimate factor in deciding who starts the season opener on Sept. 5 against Furman. Head coach Josh Heupel has been in this spot before while at Tennessee. Just last year, Heupel waited until after the second fall scrimmage to name Joey Aguilar the team's starting quarterback, with the team posting an official announcement graphic on social media the evening following the Neyland practice. No matter who is named the team's QB1, it would be expected both would see action in some capacity Week 1 against the Paladins. FCS Furman opens its season a week from Saturday against D-II Anderson. Another goal the Vols will have for the scrimmage is to see the defense continue to settle into roles. It's a point that is amplified due to some of the injuries UT has taken on in the preseason. Before camp opened, Miami transfer defensive back Jadais Richard was ruled out for the year due to an upper-body injury. Then, linebacker Jaedon Harmon suffered a torn ACL earlier in August. The injuries weren't done yet, either, as safety Edrees Farooq had to be transported to UT Medical Center during last Friday's practice with what was later diagnosed as a torn right patellar tendon. Farooq being sidelined will likely have the biggest effect on the Vols' defense, as he was projected to start at safety alongside. Now, transfers TJ Metcalf (Michigan) and Dejuan Lane (Penn State) are expected to lead the rotation along with Qua Moss (Kansas State) at the STAR/big nickel position. Reviving Third Saturday in October Tradition On Wednesday, Tennessee and Alabama announced both schools will be wearing their "home" jerseys, orange for Tennessee and crimson for Alabama, for each of the next two meetings on the gridiron. Last done in the 1970 meeting, both the Vols and Tide donned their technicolored looks when playing each other for decades before. "The Third Saturday in October stands alone in college football, and we are excited to restore one of its most iconic traditions as both teams wear their home jerseys," UT athletic director Danny White said in a statement. "I'm grateful to Alabama AD Greg Byrne and his staff for their shared commitment to bringing this experience back to the fans of one of the sport's greatest rivalries." The Crimson Tide will wear their deep red tops this season in Neyland for the first time in 56 years, while the orange Tennessee tops will see the field at Bryant-Denny Stadium for the first time ever. From 1932-97, when Alabama hosted Tennessee, it did so at Legion Field in Birmingham. Preseason All-SEC Selections Also on Wednesday, the coaches' selections for the preseason All-SEC teams were announced, and five Vols were named to the groups. On offense, running back DeSean Bishop, guard Wendell Moe Jr., and tackle David Sanders Jr. were third team selections. Bishop, a Knoxville native, ran for 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns last year, while Moe Jr. was a first team all-conference member last year and Sanders Jr. was a freshman All-American. Defensively, linebacker Arion Carter and cornerback Ty Redmond were third team picks by the league's coaches. Carter led the Vols last year with 7.6 tackles per game to go with six tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks total. Redmond was another freshman All-American in 2025 and led the SEC with 15 passes defended.