The Tennessee Volunteers were thrown into a panic back in the spring when Nico Iamaleava abruptly left the program. In response, they brought in quarterback Joey Aguilar. At the time of his transfer, Aguilar was viewed as a perfect fit for Tennessee’s offensive system.
“Aguilar fits what Tennessee is looking for, a proven starter with one year to play. He passed for 6,760 yards and 56 TDs last two years at App. State. Also a very capable runner. Heupel and Vols definitely looking for another QB,” On3’s Chris Low wrote.
The primary concern, however, was Aguilar’s limited time to learn Josh Heupel’s fast-paced offense. ESPN analyst Greg McElroy openly voiced his skepticism.
“What concerns me is their quarterback, and this is not an indictment on Joey Aguilar… He’s got to learn a new scheme, and this is a scheme that does require some rep equity that you have to be on the same page with your wide receivers,” McElroy said. “There’s a lot of reading. There’s a lot of reacting to what the defense does, and Josh Heupel can simplify things, but it’s going to be up to Joey Aguilar to have a great grasp, and he’s not going to have a lot of time to learn it. So that remains a concern for me.”
Despite the doubts, Aguilar has far from lagged behind — in fact, he’s taken college football by storm. UAB head coach Trent Dilfer has already taken notice of Aguilar’s impact under center.
“The quarterback is playing, I think, better than the quarterback last year − significantly better,” Dilfer said on Sept. 16. “He makes quicker decisions. Sees the field a lot better. Has played a lot better football. Is tremendously accurate when he’s comfortable.”
Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
There’s no denying that Aguilar brings a stronger presence to the locker room than Iamaleava ever did. He appears to be more respected and much more engaged with the team. Now leading the offense, Aguilar has exceeded expectations — but that’s only the beginning.
Because for Tennessee, exceeding expectations isn’t the end goal — getting another shot at the College Football Playoff National Championship is.