By Ashley Stadnicki
Tennessee has its new signal caller, and he’s barely had time to unpack the “freshman” label.
Freshman Faizon Brandon was recently named the Volunteers’ starting quarterback, becoming the second freshman to be named Tennessee’s starting quarterback. For Brandon, the moment was one he had worked toward since arriving on campus. And apparently one his mom was especially ready to celebrate.
“The first person that reached out to me was my mom,” Brandon said. “She was very proud of me and loves me and is excited to watch me play.”
Honestly, is there really any better first call to get after becoming the starting quarterback?
Brandon said earning the starting job was one of his biggest goals, but he isn’t planning on letting the moment get too big.
“I just feel really blessed and want to thank God for this opportunity to be a starter here,” Brandon said. “Being named starter was one of my big goals and I accomplished that, so I’m just very excited.”
And that excitement is now turning toward Tennessee’s home opener. Starting your first college game as a freshman quarterback would be enough to make just about anyone nervous, but Brandon’s plan is pretty simple: don’t overthink it.
“Really just go out there and play my game and do everything I’ve been doing,” he said.
This mindset seems to be a theme for Brandon. When breaks rolled around, Brandon chose to remain on campus rather than head home.
The reason? More football, obviously.
“I was just trying to stay focused,” Brandon said. “I could throw with some of the guys. The weight training staff was here. A lot more resources with the facility here.”
While most students were probably enjoying a little time away from campus, Brandon treated Knoxville like his personal quarterback development headquarters. And if there was any question about how seriously the freshman takes the opportunity in front of him, Brandon made that clear too.
“Every morning, I pray and thank God for the opportunity to play,” he said.
His teammates have noticed that dedication.
Cornerback Ty Redmond said Brandon being named the starter is great, pointing to the maturity the freshman has shown and the looks he gives Tennessee’s defense in practice. Trying to jump one of Brandon’s passes hasn’t exactly been easy, either.
“He does a real good job of reacting according to what he sees,” Redmond said. “You think he’ll make a play, and then he’ll just put the ball right behind.”
So, for Tennessee’s defensive backs, reading Brandon might be a little easier said than done.
Offensive lineman Shamurad Umarov has watched Brandon grow since he arrived on campus, and he said the improvement has been obvious.
“You can really see how fast this man is growing from the first day he was on campus until now,” Umarov said. “Every day he’s been coming in, learning. He’s in before everybody and he’s just asking as many questions as he can.”
To Umarov, Brandon is constantly trying to take in as much information as possible, and his decision to spend breaks in Knoxville only backed that up.
“I love that,” Umarov said. “I mean, it really shows how much he’s honed into trying to be better for the team and for himself.”
Then there’s the arm.
“Man, for a young guy, his arm is strong,” wide receiver Travis Smith Jr. said.
Not exactly bad news for the Tennessee receivers who will be on the other end of those throws this season.
But Smith said Brandon’s development hasn’t just shown up in his throws. He has become more vocal as his confidence has grown, communicating with receivers after plays and helping them figure out what can be improved next time.
“He’ll come over and let us know what we can do better on the route,” Smith said. “He’s become more vocal. It’s been great to watch his confidence grow.”
For Tennessee, naming a freshman quarterback is a major decision. For Brandon, it’s the goal he came to Knoxville hoping to accomplish.
Now that he has the job, though, the focus has already shifted from winning it to proving why he earned it.
The “freshman” label is still technically there, but Brandon is about to find out just how quickly a label can disappear once the ball is kicked off and the spotlight turns his way.