Tennessee Football Receives Unfortunate News Ahead of Joey Aguilar's Hearing

Tennessee football has received some bad news surrounding the future of its QB, Joey Aguilar. Aguilar is a guy who spent one season around the Vols and will be pushing for an extra year of eligibility under the Diego Pavia lawsuit.

He is set to receive an answer around Monday, but it has been reported that he may not get the news that fans are hopeful for. Here is what was said.

"While a waiver is still being pursued and there’s nothing final yet, it’s currently viewed as unlikely that Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar will be granted an additional year of eligibility, sources tell @CBSSports. Threw for 3,565 yards this season at Tennessee," Matt Zenitz reported.

While a waiver is still being pursued and there’s nothing final yet, it’s currently viewed as unlikely that Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar will be granted an additional year of eligibility, sources tell @CBSSports.

Threw for 3,565 yards this season at Tennessee. pic.twitter.com/rXE9JVFNNc
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 11, 2026

The Vols are in need of a QB, and it would be awful news for Aguilar not to get another year, as they have failed to land a QB in the portal. They will have a much tighter circle of options if this ends up being the case. Although nothing is official, here is how Aguilar's Tennessee career and career overall would end as a whole if this were to be the case, according to utsports.com.

Career

Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar (6) looks towards the stands as he walks off the field after the loss to Illinois in the Music City Bowl NCAA college football game on Dec. 30, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Veteran graduate transfer quarterback who was named Tennessee’s starter on Aug. 17, 2025 after winning the job in fall camp … In his fifth season of college football after transferring from UCLA and a record-breaking two years at Appalachian State … Spent the spring at UCLA before enrolling at Tennessee in June 2025, arrived in Knoxville in May … Originally began his career at City College of San Francisco and then transferred to Diablo Valley Community College in Pleasant Hill, California … Shattered six single-season records at App State … Ranks fifth in career touchdown passes (56) and fifth in passing yards (6,760) at App State ... Compiled 10,760 yards of total offense at the FBS level … In 37 FBS games, completed 769-of-1,236 passes (62.2 percent) for 10,204 yards and 80 touchdowns with 34 interceptions … Has rushed for 560 yards on 201 attempts with eight rushing scores … Thrown for over 200 yards in all 36 starts of his career - the longest active streak in Division I - with 10 300-yard games and one 400-yard game … In two years at App State, produced 22 touchdown passes to either tie the game or give his team the lead …Is the FBS active career leader in passing yards per game (275.8, minimum 5,000 yards) and ranks second nationally in total offense per game (290.8, minimum 2,500 yards) … Played in 37 FBS games (25 at App State, 12 at UT) with 36 starts (24 at App, 12 at UT) and boasts a 21-15 record ... Earned his undergraduate degree in communication studies from App State in May 2025."

2025

"Entering the bowl game, ranks in the top-20 nationally in passing yards (3,444 - 8th), passing yards/game (287.0 - 7th), passing touchdowns (24 - t-18th), passing yards per attempt (8.9 - t-13th), completions (258 - 18th) and passing efficiency (157.12 - 18th) ... SEC leader passing yards and passing yards per game ... Also ranks second in the SEC in completions, third in yards per attempt and passing efficiency and tied for fourth in passing touchdowns ... Tied a season high with 29 completions for 299 yards and a touchdown on Senior Day vs. No. 12 Vanderbilt (11/29) ... Started the game 10-for-10 passing and finished 17-of-22 for 204 yards and a touchdown at Florida (11/22) to help UT snap a 10-game losing streak in Gainesville ... Posted his best completion percentage (77.3) of the season and the best of his career as a starter in the win over the Gators ... Completed 17 of 23 attempts for 204 yards and a touchdown on top of rushing for 24 yards and a score on three carries in win vs. New Mexico State (11/15) ... Threw for over 350 yards for the third time this season, finishing with 393 passing yards on a season-high 29 completions to go along with three touchdown passes vs. No. 18 Oklahoma (11/1) ... Was 20-for-26 passing for a season-high 396 yards (19.8 avg) while tossing three touchdowns in road win at Kentucky (10/25) ... Finished with a season-high 28 completions for 268 yards, one touchdown and one interception at No. 6 Alabama (10/18) ... Accounted for 280 total yards with 221 through the air and a season-high 59 on the ground to go along with one TD pass in win vs. Arkansas (10/11) ... Was 24-40 for 335 yards and a touchdown through the air while also adding a rushing score in road win at Mississippi State (9/27) ... Led the Vols on a late fourth-quarter scoring drive to force overtime in Starkville, going 6-for-6 passing before capping the drive with a 6-yard TD run ... Continued his impressive start to the year with another efficient performance in win vs. UAB (9/20), completing 15 of 21 pass attempts for 218 yards and three touchdowns ... Showcased his playmaking ability in SEC debut vs. No. 6 Georgia (9/13), completing 24 of 36 passes for 371 yards and tying a career high with four touchdowns while adding another score on the ground ... His 371 passing yards tied Peyton Manning (10/12/96) for the most ever by a UT player in a game against Georgia ... Three of his four passing TDs against the Bulldogs were 32 yards or longer, including 56-yard and 72-yard connections with Chris Brazzell II ... Posted the third-most consecutive completions in a game by a Tennessee quarterback with his 14-of-14 start against the Bulldogs ... Per ESPN Insights, Aguilar is the first SEC quarterback to go 14-of-14 (or better) in any quarter over the last 20 seasons (2006-25) ... Was extremely efficient in just one half of work in his Neyland Stadium debut vs. ETSU (9/6), leading UT to 48 first-half points while completing 23-of-31 pass attempts for 288 yards and two touchdowns, including a 53-yarder to Mike Matthews in the second quarter ... Impressed in his Tennessee debut, leading the Vols to 493 yards of total offense in a 45-26 victory over Syracuse (8/30) in the Aflac Kickoff Game ... Was 16-28 for 247 yards and three touchdowns through the air against the Orange, including a 73- yard deep ball for a score to Braylon Staley early in the second quarter, marking the third longest completion of his career and the longest completion by an SEC player in Week 1 ... Added 34 yards on six carries to finish with 281 yards of total offense for the game."

Career

2025

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