![Joey Aguilar [L] | Nico Iamaleava [R] | Josh Heupel [Inset] (Credits: Imagn)](https://collegefootballnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/tennessee-is-shambles-natty-inbound-08-18-25.png)
The Tennessee Volunteers have finally settled on their Week 1 starter. Josh Heupel announced on Monday that transfer Joey Aguilar will take the reins of the Vols’ offense to open the 2025 season.
Aguilar, who jumped ships from UCLA in the transfer portal, will replace former five-star recruit Nico Iamaleava, who left Tennessee over an NIL tiff.
NEW: UCLA transfer QB Joey Augilar has been named Tennessee’s starting quarterback, @Volquest_On3 reports.https://t.co/vN3wEKqqkn pic.twitter.com/wiVqSbEQPE
— On3 (@On3sports) August 18, 2025
Aguilar brings the most college experience to the Vols’ quarterback room. Therefore, as he edged out Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre in camp, the decision sparked an immediate wave of fan reactions that ranged from cautious optimism to outright disbelief.
“Tennessee is in shambles,” one fan sighed, questioning how a transfer beat out the program’s prized recruits.
Another fan looked on the bright side, tweeting, “Natty inbound.”
One fan welcomed him, writing, “Can’t wait to welcome him to the SEC.”
One fan joked, “First public trade in ncaa history.”
One X user joked about the program’s quarterback drama, “Great news for the rest of the SEC.”
As Tennessee heads towards a make-or-break season in the SEC after the transfer portal meltdown, Aguilar’s performance will be scrutinized from day one.
How Tennessee Starter Joey Aguilar Won the Job Over the Vols’ Existing Talent
Months after Joey Aguilar transitioned to Tennessee in the transfer portal, the announcement that he would be the starting quarterback for the season opener was massive. The 24-year-old senior transfer arrived in Knoxville with more than 7,000 career passing yards and 24 FBS starts under his belt. Aguilar’s résumé outshone Jake Merklinger’s and George MacIntyre’s, representing the Vols’ long-term future.
Aguilar also brought stability, something the Vols desperately needed in 2025 after Iamaleava’s exit. According to a report by On3, coaches praised his ability to turn incremental daily growth into tangible on-field progress.
“From day one until today’s scrimmage, he’s gotten better every single day,” head coach Josh Heupel said. “Comfort and control.”
Aguilar didn’t just lean on his experience, but also built trust through his work ethic. Arriving in Knoxville in May, he didn’t take shortcuts. He backtracked through every spring install, running drills on his own to catch up with teammates who had been in the system longer. Thanks to NCAA summer rules, which allow coaches to conduct walkthroughs, Aguilar absorbed the offense twice over before fall camp began. Quarterbacks coach Joey Halzle admitted,
“He went back and did every single spring install that our entire team went through. He did that on his own in about four days, embraced it really well, went out and walked through it all on the field at a high level.”
His leadership came through not just in meetings but in live action. While Merklinger showed flashes, he lacked the polish and decision-making under pressure. MacIntyre, meanwhile, carries the frame and arm talent of a future star, but still looks raw and is adjusting to SEC speed.
What many predicted back in April became official in August, as Joey Aguilar, the experienced transfer, emerged as QB1. Yet he won the job by outworking teammates, earning trust, and mastering the system, which makes the story less about inevitability and more about validation.
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