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Josh Heupel comments on Tennessee’s addition of transfer QB Joey Aguilar
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Tennessee is back to 3 scholarship quarterbacks on the 2025 roster.
A week after it was reported that Joey Aguilar was coming to Tennessee, the former UCLA QB formally announced his commitment to transfer to UT. With Aguilar’s paperwork signed, Vols coach Josh Heupel can now talk about his new QB.
Heupel commented on the addition of Aguilar during a Big Orange Caravan stop in Memphis on Tuesday.
(Aguilar) has starts. He’s played at a high level. He’s the got the ability to throw the ball vertically,” Heupel said, per the Knoxville News Sentinel. “He’s accurate and on time in the intermediate passing game. He has the ability to use his feet to extend plays and in the quarterback run game too. It’s similar to the traits that we have with guys on campus right now.
It’s no surprise that Heupel started with Aguilar’s experience. Aguilar was a productive passer as App State’s starting quarterback in 2023 and ’24. Tennessee’s other scholarship quarterbacks are redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger, who played in 2 games last season, and true freshman George MacIntyre.
Heupel said it’s an open competition on Rocky Top to be QB1 this fall.
We’ve got the opportunity to have a great competition at the quarterback position. I like the skillsets of the guys that are in there. I like their mindset,” Heupel said in Memphis, per Adam Sparks.
“You’ve got to learn it, earn it and go take the job. The standard is to have a guy who is ready to play at a championship level.”
Aguilar was the 2023 Sun Bet Newcomer of the Year after throwing for 3,757 yards and 33 touchdowns. He threw for 3,003 yards and 23 touchdowns last season, averaging 273 yards per game.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
