Joey Aguilar takes major step toward 2026 Tennessee return, per report
By David Wasson
Published:
The Tennessee Volunteers got a potential boost in their 2026 chances Wednesday, when quarterback Joey Aguilar was granted a temporary restraining order against NCAA eligibility rules by a Knoxville judge – paving a potential path for Aguilar to play for Tennessee next season.
The Knoxville News Sentinel reported that Chancellor Christopher Heagerty issued the 15-day order in Knox County Chancery Court. It prohibits the NCAA from restricting Aguilar’s eligibility because he played junior college football before his Division I career.
Aguilar’s next step is to seek a preliminary injunction, which could extend his eligibility to the 2026 season. An injunction hearing is set for Friday.
If Aguilar is able to regain a year of eligibility, he could re-enroll at Tennessee in March and potentially participate in spring practice. If the injunction is denied, he’ll turn his attention to NFL Draft workouts.
Aguilar, 24, has spent 7 years in college football, but only 3 seasons at NCAA member schools. The quarterback spent 2019 at City College of San Francisco, saw his 2020 season cancelled by COVID-19, and played 2 junior college seasons at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, California, in 2021-22.
Aguilar’s NCAA time began in 2023 at Appalachian State before transferring in 2025 – first to UCLA and then to Tennessee, where he led the SEC last season with 3,565 passing yards along with 24 touchdown passes.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
