On Sunday night, Tennessee football officially named Joey Aguilar as its starting quarterback to begin the 2025 season. With just under two weeks until the season begins against Syracuse in Atlanta on Aug. 30, Aguilar now has a mock game week and a real game week to get used to the new title.
As fall camp nears its conclusion in Knoxville, let’s look back at the previous press conferences the Vols have held and what coaches and players have said about Aguilar to this point.
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Head Coach Josh Heupel
On Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar’s command of the offense at this point (Aug. 15)
“I thought he handled himself extremely well. That’s today, but I think he’s got better, from day one up until today’s scrimmage. Really every single day. Comfort and control. He’s handled himself extremely well during our night walkthroughs, which is mental focus, mental sweat. And because of that, he’s extremely comfortable in what we’re doing right now.”
On Joey Aguilar spending the summer learning the offense, how he has executed during camp (Aug. 9)
“With what we’re doing offensively in our installs, from protections to run games, controlling it, and what he’s seen on the other side of the football, how multiple he’s been here in the early part of training camp, I really like overall what he’s done. There’s still more for him within the structure and the details of it, but I like what he’s done.”
On if there was a moment in his first conversation with Joey Aguilar where he began to believe he could be the guy (July 30)
“I think the maturity that he demonstrated on the phone as you get a chance to go through his history, what matters to him and what he’s looking for, what he cares about, fit the culture piece of it. And obviously studied the film as well. So I felt like it had a chance to be a really good fit at that point.”
On Joey Aguilar putting in extra work this summer, the importance of that (July 30)
“The timing of when he got here, unique. Not something that we haven’t had before, but it applies an urgency that’s always there. But as late as he’s getting here, man, super urgent in him being able to get exposed, digest and become comfortable with what we’re doing. If you’re playing quarterback, and you’re back there thinking, you got no chance. So it’s got to become second nature. It’s got to become your primary language. And he’s worked really hard with that.”
On relationships between quarterbacks (July 29)
“With George (MacIntyre), Joey (Aguilar) and Merk (Jake Merklinger), all three of those guys have done an elite job of competing and pushing each other throughout the course of the summer. They’ve grown, they’re at different stages in their careers as far as eligibility, years on task inside of our program, what we’re doing offensively. They’ve helped each other through the journey of the summer and I think that’s going to be important as we get to training camp, too.”
On losing a quarterback in the spring portal, adding Joey Aguilar (July 15)
“At the end of the day, I’m really excited about who we have in there. The addition of Joey to who’s already inside of that group, highly competitive guys that are smart, that have the physical traits to be successful. Teammates have grown to have great trust in those guys through the course of this off-season during the summer, and now it’s about getting to training camp and going and competing. Somebody is going to earn the opportunity to be our starting quarterback through that process.”
On accelerating installs for Joey Aguilar (July 15)
“Yeah, got there in May. It’s something that we’ve been through before as a staff. Took him through our spring installs once he was there on campus. He got a chance to digest those things. You get into summer, you’re able to kind of repeat some of those things. He’s continued to grow in his understanding of what we’re doing and also the verbiage that we’re using, maybe identifying defensive structures. There’s so many nuances that go into it, to having clear communication on the meeting room, on the practice field, and then ultimately on game day as well.
“Is it an accelerated process? Absolutely. I think anytime you have a guy that’s played a lot of football and sat in college meeting rooms offensively, he’s been able to be a part of different things, he’s able to draw on those experiences, correlate it to something that maybe he’s done before, and kind of expedite the growth process as well.”
On his early thoughts of quarterback Joey Aguilar this summer (July 15)
“We had an opportunity to be out there and throw a little bit. Fundamentally, there are some things that we’ve hit on with him that he’s continuing to grow throughout the course of the summer. He’s done a great job coming into our program. Got there in May, got a chance to go through installs a second time through it here in the course of the summer. He’s grown every single day, but his ability to connect with the guys inside of our roster as a veteran guy coming in, just developing relationships. Then, earning the trust of those guys about how you approach every single day.”
On Aguilar putting his head down and making it about the team (July 15)
“I think when you’re coming in, how you present yourself every single day, that’s in the building and outside of it, it is gonna be the perceptions, certainly early on of how players perceive you. For him to come in, be about his work, continue to grow. First week he was here with all of our guys, offensive linemen, taking them out to dinner, all of types of things. Those are little steps and developing a relationship with guys, Merk and George have continued to do a great job of that, as well. But certainly respect what Joey has done since he got here on campus.”
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Offensive Coordinator Joey Halzle
On why Joey Aguilar threw so many interceptions last season at App State (July 29)
“I think a lot of that comes from what we can do here scheme wise, getting him ready to go as far as fundamentals, eye placement. Getting involved in our scheme because it’s never just a plug and play with an older guy like that. A lot of people think you just drop a guy in, he’s played so he knows how to do it. It’s all going to be how does he go through this offense? How does he adjust to our fundamental? The way teach it, the way we use our eyes, the way we know our protections and his ability to dive into that and his want to to dive into that has been awesome. So don’t foresee any issues there. But you know, obviously that’s why we’re going into fall camp and we got to go see the actual proof of concept there.”
On Joey Aguilar’s film study habits, how he’s gotten to work with his teammates (July 29)
“Joey’s been high end at that since he’s gotten here. Ever since he got here late in May. He didn’t start by starting where everyone else was, he went back and did every single spring install that our entire team went through. He did that on his own in about four days, embraced it really well, went out and walked through it all on the field at a high level. Has been going through summer ball the same exact way. So there hasn’t been any fall off there. And then he’s done a great job of making sure that he gets around his teammates because he is new. Taking the oline out to dinner, taking the wide receivers out to dinner and him and Jake (Merklinger) do that together a lot actually.
“You’ll see them all together out there making sure that, more than anything, that this is a tight knit unit and that whoever steps on the field for that first game is well earned it and has their teammates back.”
Tight End Miles Kitselman
On building chemistry with a new quarterback (July 15)
“Joey is one of those guys who has a very outgoing personality. He walks into a room and is automatically friends with everybody. Whenever he first committed, I hit him up on Instagram and said, man, love to have you. Let’s go out and get a bite to eat and let’s get to know each other. We were just off since then. We get along super well. He gets along with everybody. Him and Jake and George, they all thrive together. They all compete with each other. And I don’t think we could have asked for a better dude.”
On his initial conversation with Joey Aguilar (July 15)
“What I was touching on before, as far as Joey is a very easy guy to get along with. He also knows how to handle his business and he takes this football thing very seriously. Anyone who cares about this game is going to buy into whatever program they’re at. We have a leadership meeting every Wednesday morning. This is the standard. If you let that standard walk, you just set a new standard. We’re not doing that here. I know you’re new. I know you may feel like, hey, I need to prove myself, because I was there last year at this time, coming into Tennessee being a new guy. So I understand where you’re coming from but you don’t have time for that. You don’t have time to prove yourself. We believe in you and Jake and George, and we need a competitor, we need you to be a leader right off the bat. And whatever you see that is not the standard, we need you to call it up to the standard.”
Linebacker Arion Carter
On his initial impressions of Joey Aguilar (July 15)
“When he first got here, I made sure, as being the leader, one of the leaders on the team, I wanted to get with him and make sure we had a clear understanding of the expectations set for him, but the expectations he should have for us, and to make sure we don’t waver from those. Once we got that all figured out, being able to sit down with him, we all had an occasional meal with the quarterbacks and linebackers and special teams, just having a guy like that in your room and having a guy like that in the building is such a great opportunity that we have. He’s such a smart guy, very poised, very calm, collected dude, that I wouldn’t change anything for the world to have him on our team, alongside with my other two young quarterbacks that he’s able to go coach up with George and Jake.”
On what he’s noticed about Joey Aguilar’s skillset (July 15)
“Just a few things about Joey. Like I say, he’s a very great, decisive decision maker, very good with the ball in his hands, takes care of the ball. Very good game manager, from what I’ve seen, as far as the few practices we’ve had with him. He’s very good with using his legs on the run. I feel like he can make time and create space outside the pocket with his feet and expand throws. And I feel like just him overall as a leader and the experience he brings is just once-in-a-lifetime that we’re able to have. And I’m grateful to have a guy like that in the room, an older guy to be able to corral the young guys like Jake and George.”
Defensive Tackle Bryson Eason
On what he knows about Joey Aguilar on and off the field (July 15)
“Off the field, I would say he’s a very down-to-earth person, you know what I’m saying? Nothing cocky about him, nothing arrogant about him, just a real down-to-earth human, who is willing to come into a program and help them out.
“On the field-wise, I feel like he’s a worker, you know what I’m saying? Comes to work every day, has a mission, ready to get better in every aspect he can and wants to bring along guys with him, so everybody can elevate and get better. I feel like overall he’s just a great dude.”
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Offensive Tackle Lance Heard
On his early impressions of Joey Aguilar (July 29)
“I like Joey, he’s cool. Soft spoken. Haven’t really got to see him play much football, but we’ll see that here, probaby tomorrow and the next few days.”
On what he’s learned about Joey Aguilar before fall camp (July 29)
“I learned that he’s Mexican and Puerto Rican.”
On if he’s played Fortnite with Joey Aguilar yet (July 29)
“No, he probably sucks. (laughs)”
Quarterback Jake Merklinger
On his relationship with Joey Aguilar (July 29)
“Really good. Me and Joey have become pretty good friends. He’s a good guy, he’s a fun guy to be around.”
Quarterback George MacIntyre
On getting to know Joey Aguilar (July 29)
“Joey, he’s been great. Very personable guy. He’s been there, done that, kind of knows how things work in college football. Being able to learn from him, also compete with him, push each other, it’s been great.”
On what he’s learned from Joey Aguilar (July 29)
“I’ve just been able to see that everybody comes from a different journey. He’s got a very unconventional journey to being here at Tennessee and I think everybody has their different ways. It can work out in many different ways.”
Wide Receiver Travis Smith Jr.
On working with Joey Aguilar (July 31)
“It’s been good. He has a great spin on it. All of our quarterbacks are doing a great job putting it on us. It’s just our job to catch it.”
