Kennesaw State head coach Jerry Mack is returning to a familiar setting on Saturday night, but the circumstances could hardly be more different. The Owls are preparing to walk into Neyland Stadium to face the No. 15 Tennessee Volunteers, giving Mack an opportunity to go against the program where he previously served as running backs coach. With the matchup carrying plenty of personal history, attention has naturally turned toward the Tennessee offense, particularly freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon.
The buildup surrounding the game has intensified because Brandon has quickly become one of the most closely watched young quarterbacks in college football. Tennessee entered the matchup with a 2-0 record, while Kennesaw State was coming off a 31-17 loss to Georgia State. Yet Mack and his staff have every reason to view the game as an opportunity to make a statement rather than simply accept their role as an underdog.
Mack knows Tennessee better than most opposing coaches. He spent three seasons on Josh Heupel’s staff from 2021 through 2023, working with the Volunteers’ running backs. His familiarity with Tennessee’s offensive philosophy, terminology and overall approach gives the matchup an unusual layer. He is not arriving at Neyland Stadium as an unfamiliar opponent trying to figure out the Volunteers from the outside. He knows the environment, knows the coaching staff and understands the expectations surrounding Tennessee football.
That history is one reason the attention surrounding Mack’s comments before the game has been so intense. The Owls’ head coach has made it clear that his team cannot afford to be intimidated by the size of the stage. Kennesaw State is making its first appearance against a Southeastern Conference opponent, and Neyland Stadium presents an environment unlike anything the program has experienced at this level.
The biggest individual storyline, however, involves Brandon.
The Tennessee freshman has opened the season with significant expectations on his shoulders. He entered the starting quarterback role as one of the most highly regarded young players in the country, and his first two games have only increased the attention. Brandon has passed for 374 yards and five touchdowns without an interception through Tennessee’s opening two contests, while also demonstrating the mobility that makes him difficult for defenses to contain. Against Georgia Tech, he threw for 148 yards and two touchdowns during his first career road start.
That performance has made Brandon an obvious focal point for Kennesaw State.
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel has repeatedly emphasized that Brandon’s development remains a major priority. Heupel has talked about improving the young quarterback’s communication, fundamentals and understanding of situational football, while also making clear that Brandon needs to continue getting meaningful repetitions. Heupel has also rejected the idea that the Kennesaw State matchup should be treated casually simply because Tennessee is preparing for a major SEC game against Texas the following week.
That message creates an intriguing contrast with Mack’s challenge to his own team.
Kennesaw State cannot afford to spend the night simply reacting to Tennessee’s talent. The Owls need to disrupt the rhythm of an offense that has already shown an ability to produce explosive plays. If they allow Brandon to settle into the game early, the pressure on their defense could become enormous. For that reason, limiting the freshman quarterback’s comfort will almost certainly be one of the most important elements of the matchup.
Mack’s familiarity with Heupel’s system could also make the preparation particularly interesting. Kennesaw State offensive coordinator Mitch Militello has connections to Tennessee’s offensive system as well, giving the Owls additional familiarity with the principles that have defined Heupel’s tenure in Knoxville. That does not eliminate the enormous talent difference between the programs, but it gives Kennesaw State knowledge that a typical opponent would not possess.
The Owls also have their own quarterback situation to manage. Rickie Collins has provided dual-threat ability for Kennesaw State, showing that the Owls are capable of creating plays through both the passing and running games. Collins threw for 260 yards and a touchdown against Georgia State, while also leading Kennesaw State in rushing in that contest.
The problem for Kennesaw State has been consistency. The Owls struggled to establish the run against Georgia State and surrendered 230 rushing yards on defense. Against Tennessee, those shortcomings will be placed under an even brighter spotlight. The Volunteers entered the game averaging more than 300 rushing yards per contest through their first two games, with DeSean Bishop leading a deep backfield.
For Mack, therefore, the challenge is much larger than finding a way to slow Brandon.
It is about keeping the entire Tennessee offense from establishing its preferred tempo.
Still, the personal element cannot be ignored. Mack left Tennessee after the 2023 season and eventually became the head coach at Kennesaw State. His first season produced an impressive turnaround, as the Owls went 10-4 and won the Conference USA championship. That success established Mack as a coach capable of building the program and competing successfully after its transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Now he gets to take that program into the stadium where part of his coaching journey began.
Heupel has spoken respectfully about his former assistant, describing Mack as an authentic leader, strong recruiter and organized coach. He has also credited Mack with building a staff capable of creating consistency at Kennesaw State. Those comments demonstrate the level of respect that exists between the two coaches despite the competitive circumstances.
But once the ball is kicked off, that familiarity disappears.
For Kennesaw State, the objective is to prove that it belongs on a stage this large. For Tennessee, the objective is to continue building momentum before the beginning of SEC play. For Brandon, the matchup represents another opportunity to develop against a defense that will attempt to make his night uncomfortable from the opening possession.
That is what makes Mack’s message surrounding Brandon so significant. Whether the Owls can actually turn that challenge into pressure on the field remains to be determined, but the approach reflects the mentality required from an underdog entering Neyland Stadium.
Tennessee has already made it clear that it expects Brandon to continue developing rapidly. Kennesaw State, meanwhile, has the opportunity to test how far that development has progressed.
For Mack, there is also something deeper at stake. He is returning to Knoxville as the opposing head coach, bringing a program he has helped build into a stadium where he once coached alongside Heupel. The familiarity may make the evening more meaningful, but it will not make the task easier.
The Owls will need discipline, physicality and an ability to withstand Tennessee’s early pressure. Brandon will be at the center of that challenge, and every successful defensive possession against the freshman could give Kennesaw State confidence.
The atmosphere will be enormous, the stage will be unfamiliar for the Owls and the expectations will be heavily tilted toward Tennessee. Yet Mack’s presence ensures that this is more than a routine nonconference game. It is a reunion, a measuring stick and an opportunity for Kennesaw State to show how far its program has come.
And with Brandon emerging as the face of Tennessee’s next era at quarterback, Mack’s decision to make the freshman a central point of the pregame conversation has only added another layer of intrigue to an already compelling matchup.
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