Joey Aguilar will not return to Tennessee football for the 2026 season, a Knoxville judge ruled on Friday afternoon. The veteran quarterback was fighting to follow the same path that Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia took last season, which allowed him to return last fall.
Any appeal here is unlikely, according to most who are familiar with the case.
Aguilar arrived in Knoxville last May following Nico Iamaleava’s decision to transfer after spring practice. With both sides forced into a tough spot, they found each other and it ended up working nicely. Aguilar threw for over 3,500 yards and 24 touchdowns, sparking a revival of the downfield Tennessee passing attack.
However, the NCAA grabs seemingly a rare win in court here. Aguilar now moves on to the NFL Combine where he’ll look to make an impression and find a professional opportunity.
Tennessee now moves on to a quarterback competition. It’ll be redshirt freshman George MacIntyre as the perceived leader, while 5-star, No. 2 overall player Faizon Brandon enters the picture as a true freshman. This puts Josh Heupel in an unfamiliar spot, forced to play a player without any experience at the position. Tennessee also added a depth piece, grabbing Ryan Staub from Colorado out of the portal.
Tennessee’s quarterback battle officially begins now, and will hit the field next month as spring ball begins.
