Joey Aguilar’s arrival at the University of Tennessee is the next chapter in a college football story about rising to the challenge.
Joey Aguilar’s Journey: From California High School Star to Tennessee Vols Quarterback
On Tuesday, April 22, quarterback Aguilar committed to the University of Tennessee. His decision capped a wild period where he left the UCLA Bruins after the hubbub over quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s arrival. But for Aguilar, dealing with sudden shifts isn’t new.
The Antioch, California, native began his football journey as the quarterback for Freedom High School. The 6-foot-3, 220 lb. signal-caller completed 336 out of 552 pass attempts for 5,575 yards and 59 touchdowns to 14 interceptions in his time at Freedom, adding 151 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.
Aguilar went to Diablo Valley University, where he racked up 228 completions out of 379 passing attempts for 2,992 yards and 21 touchdowns with ten interceptions. He also rushed for 619 yards and two touchdowns before he departed to be the backup quarterback for Appalachian State in 2023 behind the starter, Ryan Burger.
But Burger’s injury in week one of the 2023 season against Gardner-Webb opened the door for Aguilar, and he led the team to a victory, completing 11 of his 13 passes for 174 yards and four touchdowns. He would capitalize on that performance to keep the starting QB job, throwing for 3,757 yards with 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The following season, he threw for another 3,000 yards, with 23 touchdowns and 14 interceptions as the Mountaineers went 5-6.
Aguilar was set to be UCLA’s starter and looked forward to being back home in California. “Playing back at home is going to be amazing,” Aguilar told ESPN reporter Pete Thamel. “Especially for my family, la ot closer commute is shorter and more of them can come.”
KEEP READING: Joey Aguilar vs. Nico Iamaleava Stats: Breaking Down the QB Stats from the Last 2 CFB Season After Epic Transfer Portal Swap
But Iamaleava’s rocky split with the Volunteers (reportedly over seeking more NIL money) left him as the odd man out. He informed ESPN that he intended to enter the transfer portal on Monday, April 21. In signing for his final year of eligibility with Tennessee, Aguilar’s deal is reportedly up to a million dollars less than the $2.4 million Iamaleava was set to receive from UCLA.
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