George MacIntyre gets his first Tennessee start at Arkansas

Tennessee quarterback George MacIntyre inherits a job with a useful perk. He can hand the ball to senior running back DeSean Bishop, who just carried the Volunteers through an afternoon when their passing game barely got out of the driveway.

MacIntyre is expected to make his first career start Saturday at Arkansas, with freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon dealing with a shoulder injury. No. 15 Tennessee arrives at 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the SEC. Kickoff in Fayetteville is October 10 at 4:15 p.m. ET on SEC Network.

Coach Josh Heupel replaced Brandon during the 24-14 win over Auburn after the freshman completed three of eight passes for zero yards and an interception. MacIntyre completed eight of 10 for 86 yards and directed three touchdown drives after halftime.

Discussing Heupel’s decision on the October 4 episode of The Matt Barrie Show with SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum, ESPN host Matt Barrie described the pressure attached to replacing a prized recruit.

“This is a five-star kid that a lot of people felt had the goods to be a star at Tennessee. Again, the jury’s still out on him. It’s new in his career. He’s fresh in his career. But when you make a decision like that now, Paul, when you make a decision to pull a five-star, then you probably paid a lot of money for and recruited. When you pull him, that’s as hard of a decision as a head coach can make right now,” Finebaum said.

Barrie’s point concerned recruiting expectations. Brandon’s health belongs in the discussion, too. In his halftime interview with ESPN sideline reporter Stormy Buonantony, Heupel explained why he made the switch.

“Faizon just wasn’t operating. He didn’t feel 100%. George came in, did some positive things,” Heupel said.

One relief appearance cannot settle either player’s future. The immediate decision is about getting a healthy quarterback ready to run the offense in a road game, with the entire week to prepare for the defense he will face.

George MacIntyre has help beyond the passing game

Bishop supplied 220 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 34 carries against Auburn. Tennessee credited him with 182 yards after contact, citing PFF. Put plainly, he kept gaining ground after defenders reached him, an especially handy skill when the offense needs a breather.

Tennessee averages 240.6 rushing yards, second in the SEC. Arkansas allows 146 per game, while opponents convert 45 percent of their third downs against the Razorbacks. Those figures give Heupel a reasonable route to manageable passing situations without asking his quarterback to solve everything at once.

But MacIntyre must contribute more than clean handoffs. His 42-yard completion to Tennessee wide receiver Mike Matthews helped open the second-half scoring against Auburn. A threat downfield gives defenders a reason to hesitate before crowding Bishop’s running lanes. Arkansas allows only 194 passing yards per game.

The communication issue raised before Texas quarterback Arch Manning’s visit to Neyland now applies to Tennessee. The Volunteers have to make their own checks with a road crowd working against them. Everyone must recognize the same signals before Heupel can ask his offense to play more quickly.

Arkansas has to keep its quarterback upright

Arkansas coach Ryan Silverfield’s team enters 2-3 and 0-2 in conference play. Its 92.2 rushing yards per game rank last in the SEC, leaving quarterback KJ Jackson with limited help against a Tennessee defense that leads the country with 23 sacks.

Arkansas wide receiver Chris Marshall offers an outlet. He caught seven passes for 76 yards and a touchdown in the 34-7 loss at Texas A&M. Getting him involved quickly would reduce the time Jackson has to stand behind his protection.

If Tennessee keeps Arkansas facing obvious passing downs, its defense should give the new starter room to grow into the afternoon. The warning is that sacks and short fields cannot be ordered on demand.

Later, Finebaum also stressed how close Tennessee had come to losing against Auburn. Responding to Barrie’s description of an ugly game, Finebaum said, “Yeah, it was hard to watch. But they at least survived. Because they could easily let that game get away.”

George MacIntyre’s three touchdown possessions began at Tennessee’s 18, Auburn’s 44, and Auburn’s 24. Only one required him to move the offense the length of the field.