Former Appalachian State offensive coordinator says new Tennessee Vols QB Joey Aguilar has a trait that's hard to teach
The Tennessee Vols are reportedly adding UCLA Bruins transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar to their roster. Aguilar entered the NCAA transfer portal this week after the Bruins landed former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava as a transfer addition (what a bizarre week for Tennessee/UCLA fans). The expectation is that Aguilar will compete with redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger […]
The Tennessee Vols are reportedly adding UCLA Bruins transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar to their roster.
Aguilar entered the NCAA transfer portal this week after the Bruins landed former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava as a transfer addition (what a bizarre week for Tennessee/UCLA fans).
The expectation is that Aguilar will compete with redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and true freshman George MacIntyre for the Vols' starting quarterback job ahead of the 2025 season.
While we don't know how Tennessee's quarterback battle will play out, we do know, thanks to some comments last year via former Appalachian State offensive coordinator Frank Ponce, that Aguilar has an attribute that makes him a great fit for Tennessee's offense.
Josh Heupel's offense at Tennessee, which features plenty of choice routes, requires quarterbacks to have elite anticipation.
That's an intangible that Ponce says is "hard to teach" that Aguilar possesses.
“He throws receivers open,” said Ponce last August of Aguilar (via The Watauga-Democrat). “At times, he’s a gun-slinger. There are times he makes throws, and you shake your head, but he gets ‘em in there. But I think he’s understanding about taking care of the football a lot more and taking what the defense gives you. I tell him your biggest weapons are your outlets. That includes running backs and tight ends. If the defense is taking away your deep shots, these other guys are athletic and good enough they can get a lot of yards for you.”
“The biggest thing about him when I saw him live was his arm strength,” added Ponce. “He didn’t shy away from any type of throws we asked him to make. Just watching him throw around with his receivers…his arm strength was excellent.”
Ponce coached Aguilar in 2023 and 2024 at Appalachian State (Ponce is now the assistant head coach at FIU).
A quarterback has to be willing to "let it rip" (as Vols offensive coordinator Joey Halzle often says) to reach his ceiling in Tennessee's offense. If a quarterback is timid, or afraid of making mistakes, then he simply won't be able to take the Vols' offense to elite levels.
Aguilar isn't the "big name" that many Vols fans were hoping to see Tennessee land out of the transfer portal. But there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic that he can be a capable quarterback on Rocky Top. But first, he'll have to find a way to win the starting job this fall. And that won't be easy, because Merklinger and MacIntyre are elite competitors who are going to do their best to be the quarterback that's under center when Tennessee kicks off the 2025 season against Syracuse on August 30.
National analyst makes bold prediction for Nico Iamaleava’s NFL future after leaving Tennessee for UCLA
Nico still has a lot of football ahead of him
