On Friday, Tennessee football quarterback Joey Aguilar had his eligibility hearing for his fight to be able to return to the Vols next season. He is arguing that his time in junior college should not count toward his NCAA eligibility.
However, there was no resolution heading into the weekend. Judge Chris Heagerty announced he will not be ruling from the bench and is taking time to weigh both sides. With President’s Day on Monday, the likely decision date is Tuesday, though it could be extended longer.
In the meantime, 99.1 The Sports Animal’s primetime afternoon show, Tyler & Will, had attorney Jake Thompson on the show to break down what transpired.
“If you want me to be completely candid, Joey’s lawyer is a very good lawyer, but the lawyer for the NCAA was a better public speaker,” Thompson said on the show. “And I know that shouldn’t matter, sometimes it does. Sometimes, if a judge hears the same thing, the more eloquent person wins. Sometimes that’s a factor, sometimes it’s not.
“I think Joey’s lawyer did good. Where he got hurt is the judge wanted to go in a different direction than I think anybody expected by talking about market value so much. It’s not an argument that the NCAA really makes. They don’t claim that it’s a problem, and so I think he was caught off guard by that a little, but they adjusted. At the end of the day, I think it went well. I know the brief is very well written, so that’s going to be a very good factor.”
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Thompson also noted the difference between Aguilar’s case and Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss’, which went the Rebels signal caller’s way earlier this week. Aguilar is arguing about junior college seasons, while Chambliss argued about a previous redshirt ruling.
Thompson also noted that he felt Heagerty felt the weight of the pending decision. Heagerty knew that any ruling could be a precedent going forward that could impact other cases.
With all the factors at play, the hosts of Tyler & Will, Tyler Ivens and Will West, asked Thompson how he assesses Aguilar’s odds to win.
“I think ultimately, I feel slightly worse, but don’t take that the wrong way,” Thompson said. “I mean, if I was 80% yes, he was going to get it, maybe I’m 70% yes, he’s going to get it, now.”
In the meantime, Aguilar’s temporary restraining order was extended until the decision. He is looking to be granted an injunction that would let him play.
