Five QB battles to watch around CFB ahead of summer

1. Alabama Crimson Tide

Following the end of the 2025 season, Ty Simpson made the decision to move on from Alabama for the NFL. Now, head coach Kalen DeBoer will need to find his third starter in as many seasons with the Crimson Tide. 

Battling it out will be redshirt freshman Keelon Russell and redshirt junior Austin Mack. Generally seen as the favorite, Russell was one of the biggest signings of the DeBoer era. At the same time, Mack followed DeBoer over from Washington, and with that comes plenty of experience in the offense.

2. Clemson Tigers

It's a new era at quarterback for the Tigers. This will also be an important one for head coach Dabo Swinney, after he found his team struggling to maintain the success it had previously had under his leadership.

The favorite here appears to be Christopher Vizzina. He's a redshirt junior now and has shown some promise in the past. However, there are plenty of other options. That includes redshirt freshman Chris Denson and a pair of talented incoming freshmen, Tait Reynolds and Brock Bradley. 

3. Tennessee Volunteers

There had been some hope that Joey Aguilar could return in 2026. However, he lost his court case for another year of eligibility. So, head coach Josh Heupel is looking at a youth movement and a quarterback battle. 

Long-term, the answer looks like Faizon Brandon. A five-star recruit, he has all the talent in the world, but is also just a true freshman. He's joined the quarterback battle with George MacIntyre, a redshirt freshman who was highly recruited in his own right. Ryan Staub is also on the roster, but it appears the two young quarterbacks are battling it out.

4. Virginia Cavaliers

A season ago, the Cavaliers nearly won the ACC and nearly went to the College Football Playoff. That was with Chandler Morris at quarterback. He's gone now, though, and two transfers are gonna battle it out.

Virginia added Beau Pribula, who had been the starter at Missouri before an injury last season. Then, the Cavaliers went on to add Eli Holstein, who previously started for Pitt. That's a lot of experience. It's also good for a tight quarterback battle.

5. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Texas Tech wasn't supposed to need a quarterback battle this season. Then, transfer Brendan Sorsby entered rehab for gambling addiction, and his eligibility is now uncertain.

Will Hammond would seem like the obvious replacement, but he's coming off an ACL injury and may not be ready for Week 1. That leaves Texas Tech, a team that has national championship aspirations, in a very tight spot. Kirk Francis, a transfer, has the most experience. Meanwhile, Holden Phillips and Lloyd Jones III are both redshirt freshmen, while Stephen Cannon is a true freshman, all representing unknown potential.