Following an offseason full of turmoil, Tennessee football has named its starting quarterback for its 2025 season opener.
Joey Aguilar will earn the start for the No. 18 Vols when they open the season against Syracuse on Saturday, Aug. 30, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta in the Aflac Kickoff Game. UT football announced coach Josh Heupel’s decision on X, formerly Twitter, on Aug. 17.
‘At the helm,’ the post said, along with a photo of Aguilar in Neyland Stadium.
Aguilar beat out redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and freshman George MacIntyre for the starting gig. The UCLA transfer and former Appalachian State standout was the 2023 Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year. He threw for 6,760 yards and 56 touchdowns in two seasons for the Mountaineers.
He transferred to UCLA over the offseason, but then transferred again to the Vols following Nico Iamaleava’s transfer to UCLA in April.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder from Antioch, California, walked on at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, California, in 2021, and proceeded to throw for almost 3,000 yards in two seasons before finally earning his long-awaited Division I scholarship at Appalachian State.
Joey Aguilar stats
Here’s a look at Aguilar’s stats during his two seasons with Appalachian State:
2023 (App State): 293-for-460 passing (63.7%) for 3,757 yards, 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions; 81 rushes for 249 yards and three touchdowns
2024 (App State): 218-for-390 passing (55.9%) for 3,003 yards, 23 touchdowns and 14 interceptions; 59 rushes for 207 yards and two touchdowns