Vols QB Joey Aguilar has the perfect response when asked about his one year at Tennessee

The Vols’ starter has a lot of love for the Tennessee fanbase.

Craig Smith — College Football & NFL Trending News Writer
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Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar has been one of the biggest and best surprises in the entire country this season. The former App State/UCLA quarterback came to Knoxville in the wake of Nico Iamaleava’s departure from the Tennessee program back in April, and the Vols’ offense has soared as a result.

Aguilar leads the SEC in passing yards and passing touchdowns through nine games, and the Vols’ offense has been one of the best in the country.

Unfortunately, Aguilar and the Tennessee program found each other late in the process, as Aguilar is in his final year of college eligibility.

The Vols’ starter was asked on Monday ahead of homecoming against New Mexico State what his one year in Knoxville has meant for him.

Aguilar mentioned the response he’s gotten from Tennessee fans when talking about what it’s meant to him to be at Tennessee for a year

“It’s meant a lot and to see the support from day one to now has grown a lot,” Aguilar said. “It’s been good and bad. I’ve had some bad plays this season, but the support that the community has when I’m on the field and even off the field. I’ll be at the grocery store, somebody sees me getting gas or something like that. People pull up on me, ask for photos and things like that. It’s been awesome, especially for the kids. I went to this elementary school the other day. They had this little thing they had to make points to attend and once they all saw me, they all freaked out. It was cool to see that. Just to be an inspiration to the kids. They think we’re big celebrities and things like that so to see them happy and get a what’s up or a dap from us makes their world and it’s awesome.

“I went to the mall on a Sunday. Probably wasn’t the greatest idea. I barely made it out.”

There’s little doubt that being the starting quarterback of the flagship university of the Volunteer State brings about a level of exposure that Aguilar never had at App State nor would have had at UCLA. Fans have embraced Aguilar in his one year with the Volunteers, and it sounds like the love is reciprocal from his end as well.

And while Tennessee is likely out of range of the College Football Playoff – although perhaps not completely done, depending on how things go with the committee on Tuesday night – Aguilar still has a chance to do a couple of noteworthy things in his short remaining time with the program: lead the Vols to their first win in the Swamp since 2003 and keep Vanderbilt from qualifying for their first-ever playoff spot.

Do that, and the former Vol surely won’t ever buy a drink or a meal in Knoxville again.

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