If you’re a Volunteers football enthusiast, you understand that the past few years, under Josh Heupel, the Vols have transitioned from SEC afterthoughts to College Football Playoff hopefuls. The drama never ends. The inaugural season with Heupel included a bowl outing and a decent 7–6 record, but 2022 was what put firecrackers in Neyland Stadium: an 11–2 mark, an Orange Bowl victory against Clemson, and a No.1 playoff ranking for a while. The Vols’ highest point since the early 2000s. Tennessee football with Josh Heupel is still a headline generator, and quarterback drama is the lead story. But this season, following Nico Iamaleava‘s public NIL battle and subsequent transfer to UCLA, yes, he’s officially a Bruin now. The Vols’ QB corps was looking mighty thin and mighty green.

Just when fans were sweating, up comes Joey Aguilar, the UCLA transfer who established himself dishing it at Appalachian State. He’s reporting to Rocky Top this week and instantly makes the quarterback competition a three-man scramble. Aguilar’s got a cannon for an arm and can light up the scoreboard, but the guy’s also got a little bit of a turnover bug. Something Tennessee fans didn’t have to worry about so much with Nico Iamaleava.

Last year at App State, Aguilar threw 23 touchdowns but also watched his interception totals creep higher, particularly as the team struggled overall in 2024. Compare that to Nico, who was the epitome of consistency for the Vols last season. He passed for more than 2,600 yards with 19 touchdowns and only five interceptions, leading Tennessee to the College Football Playoff with a steady hand, never putting the ball in danger. Nico’s ball security was a big reason why the Vols could rely on him in critical situations.

In a recent discussion on the Locked on College Football podcast between Spencer McLaughlin and Eric Cain. Spencer asks, “Can Joey Aguilar or whoever winds up starting for Josh Heupel this year game manage his way to get Tennessee back into the playoffs? Eric says, “[Joey] He’s just got to protect the football. He turned the football over a ton this past year, he had a record-setting year in 2023 with App State school records and all that”. 

Spencer reflected on Nico’s performance as well. He said, “I think Nico’s got unbelievable talent. I think that there’s another level, but in 2024, aside from a couple of big-time throws, he was a game manager…. And when you have a young starting quarterback for the first time and a great run game and a great defense, why not be a game manager? You’re winning football games, and that’s what Tennessee did en route to a college football play-off presence.”

Aguilar’s 2023 campaign was electric on occasion. He passed for more than 3,500 yards and 33 touchdowns, and there were games where he seemed invincible, ask ECU about that 424-yard, 4-TD showing. But on the other side? He had some head-scratching turnovers as well, particularly when he attempted to force things in tough situations. There were a couple of games, such as vs. Troy and Old Dominion, where fumbles and picks provided momentum swings in the opposite direction.

Tennessee’s offense with Heupel is designed to score quickly and frequently, but you can’t turn over possessions in the SEC and win big games. To begin with, the Vols are facing quarterback instability following Nico Iamaleava’s transfer. That’s a big question mark, particularly with Joey Aguilar’s turnover problems and the inexperience behind him.

The new face of the Vols-Dores showdown

Tennessee’s game against Vanderbilt later this year is the town’s new conversation. Vols are trending negative this year, particularly after that gut blow during the spring. Losing a vet leader at QB disrupts any team’s strategy, and having a rivalry matchup like Vandy on the horizon, that’s the last thing you want. “They’re screwed. And I’m going to say it again.”. You can reverse this real quick. And then Nico’s out signing autographs in Westwood.

Last year, the Vols came out all sorts of unsteady, allowing 14 points to Vandy in the first five minutes. Seriously, Vanderbilt returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, and then Tennessee fumbled on their second play. Nico Iamaleava shook off an early selection and began dishing. He threw a 28-yard TD to Dont’e Thornton Jr. to put Tennessee on the board. He then connected with Thornton again for an 86-yard bomb. By halftime, the Vols had scored 29 straight points and held a 24-17 advantage at halftime. Ultimately, the Vols rolled to a 36-23 victory, secured their 10th win, and earned their ticket to the College Football Playoff.

Tennessee fans may be accustomed to rolling over Vanderbilt, but this year’s game could be a headache. Vanderbilt’s coming off an unexpectedly strong season in 2024, they went 6-6 and are projected to be bowl-eligible for a second consecutive season, and this is huge for them. They have an immense amount of return production, starting with quarterback Diego Pavia, who has turned them into an exponentially more explosive and dynamic offense. If Aguilar can limit the turnovers on the deep throws and take what the defense provides him, he has the arm and experience to excel on Rocky Top.