Braylon Staley remembers the throw.
The Tennessee wide receiver was crossing the middle of the field as linebackers converged around him. By the time Staley turned his head, Faizon Brandon’s pass was already arriving at his chest.
Staley complimented the throw. Brandon’s response surprised him even more.
“He was like, ‘Hey, that’s on me. I didn’t mean to put it right there,’” Staley said. “And I’m like, ‘That’s perfect. I don’t need it to be no better than that.’”
It was one play in fall camp, but it illustrated the jump Staley saw from Brandon since the five-star quarterback arrived at Tennessee in the spring.
Brandon will make his college debut Saturday against Furman as the only true freshman expected to start at quarterback in the SEC in Week 1.
The freshman moments will inevitably come. Tennessee’s optimism stems from how quickly some of the more advanced parts of Brandon’s game have developed.
Staley said Brandon made a “huge jump” in his command of Tennessee’s offense from spring practice to fall camp. His ability to fit passes into tight windows and create outside the pocket particularly stood out.
That growth followed an offseason Staley saw firsthand and sometimes from afar.
Staley said he checked Brandon’s location while away from Knoxville and discovered the freshman was still at Tennessee working. Brandon was competing for the starting job and, in Staley’s view, understood the commitment it required.
Now Tennessee gets its first opportunity to see how that work translates to a game.
Brandon will have help.
Staley and Mike Matthews give Tennessee two proven SEC receivers, while a deep group behind them should provide Brandon multiple options. Staley said defenses will not be able to focus solely on Tennessee’s top two targets because of the talent surrounding them.
The challenge will eventually become considerably more difficult.
Safety T.J. Metcalf, an Michigan transfer, has spent fall camp facing Brandon and Tennessee’s offense while learning Jim Knowles’ defense. Metcalf said Brandon’s athleticism and ability to throw remind him in some ways of Bryce Underwood, the former Michigan quarterback.
“We got a young quarterback,” Metcalf said. “I think he’s going to do great things. He got a lot of great weapons around him.”
Brandon’s ability to extend plays has also become increasingly noticeable to his teammates. Staley said Brandon can escape the pocket and keep plays alive, forcing receivers to transition into scramble rules.
That combination makes Brandon’s debut about more than statistics.
Tennessee does not need its freshman quarterback to immediately play like a veteran.
It needs the advanced parts of his game to outweigh the freshman ones.
