Vols fans now know how the rest of the SEC feels about QB Joey Aguilar not returning to Tennessee in 2026
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The Tennessee Volunteers did all they could to get quarterback Joey Aguilar another year of eligibility, but his injunction was denied. As a result, the former Vol is now in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In an alternate universe, quarterback Joey Aguilar is in Punta Cana enjoying himself right now before gearing up for summer workouts with the Tennessee Vols.
That’s what Tennessee was hoping the situation would be this summer.
Instead, Aguilar’s request for another season of eligibility was denied in February. So instead of preparing to lead the Volunteers’ offense, Aguilar is hoping to make the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 53-man roster.
Tennessee, meanwhile, will turn to either redshirt freshman George MacIntyre or true freshman Faizon Brandon to lead the offense in 2026.
The rest of the SEC is happy that Joey Aguilar isn’t returning to Tennessee in 2026
The rest of the SEC is apparently happy that Aguilar isn’t returning to lead the Vols’ offense this fall.
An anonymous coach told Athlon Sports this offseason that Tennessee not getting Aguilar back is good for the rest of the SEC because the Vols are “unproven” at quarterback without him.
Another coach told Athlon Sports that Tennessee does not have the same excitement and energy without a veteran quarterback.
The comments from the anonymous coaches line up with the chatter that we’ve heard from around the SEC this offseason.
Because of the way Aguilar’s battle with the NCAA/courts went — it wasn’t settled until a month after the transfer portal closed — the Vols weren’t able to go all-in on the top quarterbacks in the portal (though it’s a good thing UT missed out on Cincinnati transfer Brendan Sorsby, who is now facing eligibility issues due to his gambling addiction), leaving Tennessee with two freshmen battling for the starting job.
Longtime Vols insider Tony Basilio suggested last week that Tennessee screwed up by not getting a quarterback in the portal.
“George MacIntyre looked like an unplayable player in the spring,” said Basilio. “And I’m not ripping the guy. He comes from a great family, they’re good people. Not every situation is for everybody, not every system in the sport is for everybody. They were really surprised at how bad he was, and he kind of looked like an unplayable player in the spring, to the point where if they had a do-over, they would have gone and gotten a quarterback for this year.”
Brandon, a former five-star recruit, is now viewed as the favorite to win the Vols’ starting quarterback job (MacIntyre is still very much in the battle and could still win it).
It’s true that Brandon is unproven, but it’s also true that he could be a future Heisman Trophy contender. So while the rest of the SEC is happy that Aguilar isn’t returning, they’d better be careful not to overlook Brandon’s potential — even if he is a true freshman.
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