Rarely is a fifth-year college quarterback more of an unknown entering a season than Tennessee’s Joey Aguilar. It was a whirlwind final offseason that landed Aguilar in Knoxville after playing his first two seasons at a junior college and the next two seasons at Appalachian State.
There was plenty of tape of Aguilar’s time at Appalachian State available this offseason but the circumstances are completely different in his lone season at Tennessee. It’s a completely new and unique offense. He’s also surrounded by and playing against a higher talent level than he has previously in his career.
What has Georgia head coach Kirby Smart made of Aguilar’s performance through the first two weeks of the 2025 season?
“He’s playing really efficiently,” Smart said Monday. “He’s got great arm talent. He’s a really good athlete. You can tell he understands the system. He gets the ball out quickly. He’s been very accurate. He’s had some really well-thrown balls, a couple they’ve dropped in crucial times. But he makes some good throws, and really a good deep-ball passer. I think he puts air under the ball, gives the receiver an opportunity to run under it. He’s made plays with his legs, which you have to do in this league at quarterback, and he’s been very, very impressive in the two games he played.”
Aguilar has completed 39-of-59 passes for 535 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions through the first two games of the season. He performed well in the Vols’ 45-26 win over Syracuse to open the season before playing just a half in Tennessee’s blowout win over ETSU.
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Smart over sold Aguilar’s legs a bit. He’s rushed for 34 yards on six carries. Opponents have yet to sack him. But he did have a nice scramble against Syracuse and the Vols twice used his legs on third down designed quarterback runs.
The challenge gets significantly harder for Aguilar this week against Georgia, but Smart’s point about his command and efficiency is accurate. Aguilar seems to have a strong grasp on Tennessee’s offense despite a short offseason in Knoxville.
Georgia has given Tennessee quarterbacks fits during Josh Heupel’s tenure in Knoxville. Tennessee starting quarterbacks have thrown for an average of 200 yards over the last four seasons against Georgia. Hendon Hooker’s 244 passing yards in 2021 is the only mark over 200 yards.
The Vols have thrown two touchdowns and two interceptions in those games with both touchdown passes coming in 2021— one from Hooker and another from Milton. Tennessee’s offense has averaged 12 points over the last four meetings with Georgia and its 17 points both last season and in 2021 were the high marks.
No one has had Josh Heupel and Tennessee’s offense’s number like Smart and the Bulldogs. The Vols are looking to buck that trend this weekend. Kickoff between Tennessee and Georgia is at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday afternoon. Chris Fowler, Kirk Hernstreit and Holly Rowe are on the call for ABC.
