Tennessee Names Joey Aguilar Starting Quarterback for 2025 Football Season

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee – Tennessee has officially named Joey Aguilar as its starting quarterback for the upcoming 2025 college football season. Aguilar, a transfer from Appalachian State, earned the starting nod after a three-man competition that also included redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and true freshman George MacIntyre.

Aguilar’s arrival at Tennessee came after an eventful offseason, including his transfer from UCLA, where he was initially expected to compete for the starting role. After former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava entered the transfer portal in April, Aguilar saw an opportunity and made the switch to Knoxville.

During his time at Appalachian State, Aguilar threw for 6,760 yards and 56 touchdowns while completing 60% of his passes over two seasons. He also recorded 456 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. His standout performance in 2023 included a record-setting 3,757 passing yards, the most in a single season for the Mountaineers, along with a program record of 33 touchdowns.

Head coach Josh Heupel praised Aguilar for his progress during preseason camp. “I thought he handled himself extremely well,” Heupel said. “Every single day, he’s bettering himself.”

Aguilar’s experience is expected to bring stability to the Volunteers, which ranked No. 77 in the nation for passing yards per game last season. The pressure is on him to lead a team looking to return to the College Football Playoff after Iamaleava’s departure.

As the countdown to the season opener against Syracuse on August 30 continues, Aguilar is preparing for his first game as the starter. “I’ve got to build trust in them. They’ve got to build trust in me,” Aguilar said about developing connections with his teammates during training camp.

Tennessee’s upcoming matchup against Syracuse will air live on ABC, marking Aguilar’s official debut as the starting quarterback after a tumultuous offseason.