Tennessee quarterbacks are no strangers to Heisman Trophy watchlists. Ever since Josh Heupel put up video game numbers with Hendon Hooker and Jalin Hyatt in 2022, sportsbooks have been on the lookout for a repeat performance. While that wasn’t the case in 2023 with Joe Milton or 2024 with Nico Iamaleava, it could be in 2025 with Joey Aguilar.
Aguilar was on his way towards lighting up both Syracuse and ETSU before Heupel took his foot off the gas. Tennessee needed four quarters from the Appalachian
State transfer on Saturday against Georgia and he certainly delivered. The Volunteers built a 21-7 lead in the first quarter, scoring one on the ground with Aguilar and another two shots to Chris Brazzell.
Tennessee would snooze through the next two quarters before catching fire again, with Aguilar finding Brazzell for another and Braylon Staley for a fourth score.
“Yeah, definitely started off in a groove,” Aguilar said of his hot start. “Those come and go, but I’ve just got to be better in progression and just take what the defense gives me. Felt like I was forcing a little bit, things like that, in the middle (of the game), but that’s a great program. They schemed up some defensive fronts and things like that, so I’ve just got to be better.”
Tennessee had every opportunity to close that one out on both sides of the ball, but couldn’t get the job done. There are some issues with injuries and perhaps defensively as a whole, but one thing the country does now know is that Aguilar is for real, and he’s got some weapons to work with.
Aguilar has appeared on FanDuel Sportsbook’s Heisman odds as of Monday, sitting eighth overall with +1600 odds. Plenty of surprising faces join him on the list with cold starts from Arch Manning, DJ Lagway and others. Carson Beck currently sits first while Jeremiah Smith, Gunnar Stockton, Marcel Reed, John Mateer and others follow.
Tennessee has never brought home a Heisman Trophy. Hooker finished fifth overall in the voting back in 2022, missing out on a trip to New York City after tearing his ACL on that dreadful night in South Carolina.
Aguilar is going to continue to have his opportunities to deliver under some of the brightest lights in the country. Huge spots at Alabama and against Oklahoma could offer showdowns against Heisman hopefuls in John Mateer and Ty Simpson. Aguilar is already nearly to 1,000 yards passing and could easily have been there with a couple of more competitive games to start.
Iamaleava threw for just over 2,600 in 2024 while Milton threw for over 2,800 in 2023. Hooker was the last one to go over 3,000, which he did while missing the final two games of the season in 2022.
It’s still early, but Aguilar certainly appears to be on that 3,000+ yard track. Should Tennessee stay in the thick of the College Football Playoff battle, Aguilar should keep his name in the mix for the most prestigious individual award in the sport.
