New Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar blown away with how welcoming Vols fans have been
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New Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar already had 1 thing going for him before he even stepped foot in Knoxville.
For Volunteers fans still getting over the sting of Nico Iamaleava’s messy transfer to UCLA, Aguilar was a breath of fresh air and a reminder that things might not be so bad after all in 2025. As much as Iamaleava showed he didn’t ultimately want to be in Knoxville, Aguilar proved it was just the opposite for him.
In fact, once Iamaleava transferred to UCLA, Aguilar decided to pull off a switch of sorts. Aguilar had already decided to transfer to UCLA in late December of last year after spending 2 seasons at Appalachian State. But once Iamaleava bolted to UCLA in the middle of spring football, Aguilar looked at Tennessee as a wide-open quarterback situation at a program that was gaining momentum under Josh Heupel.
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So, Iamaleava headed west to Pasadena and Aguilar headed east to Knoxville, like 2 ships passing in the night.
Fast-forward to Tennessee Media Day on Tuesday, when Aguilar had a chance to talk about what being a Volunteer meant to him. He had a lot to say to reporters, including what the fan support has meant to him before he even participates in his first fall practice.
“The surprising part is how many people knew who I was when I got here. I really haven’t done anything for this university yet, but all these people are super welcoming. They ask for autographs and pictures. It’s awesome here,” said Aguilar about his new orange-clad surroundings in 2025.
Now, just imagine that Aguilar hasn’t even won the starting quarterback job yet. He enters fall camp in a battle with Jake Merklinger, George MacIntyre and Mason Phillips.
All the love that Aguilar has received so far stands out even more because he’s not even entrenched as the starter yet. For Aguilar, the real work begins now, in trying to win that starting job while he continues to win over the fans in Knoxville.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
