Graduate Transfer Starts the QB Battle Joey Aguilar is determined to start over when she gets to Tennessee.

Joey Aguilar is determined to start over when she gets to Tennessee. The air is different in Knoxville, thick with expectation and steeped in the echoes of legends. It’s where autumn Saturdays are louder, the lights brighter, and the pressure unrelenting. But that’s exactly what drew her here. The graduate transfer quarterback didn’t come to sit. She came to start.

After three years at Appalachian State, where she steadily grew into one of the most reliable quarterbacks in the Sun Belt Conference, Aguilar made the bold decision to enter the transfer portal. Some thought it was an odd move—after all, she was the undisputed starter for the Mountaineers. Her numbers were solid: nearly 3,500 passing yards last season, 33 touchdowns, and just nine interceptions. She’d been named All-Conference and had led multiple fourth-quarter comebacks. She could have cruised through one last year in Boone, basking in local stardom. But comfort, for Joey Aguilar, was never the goal.

Her decision wasn’t rushed. She spent weeks quietly talking with her family, reviewing film, and reflecting on her football future. The window for a quarterback to make a leap to the next level isn’t always open for long. The NFL scouts had taken notice of her arm strength and pocket presence, but she knew she needed more. More exposure. More challenge. More proof that she could lead not just a good program, but a great one.

When Tennessee called, the decision practically made itself. The Volunteers were coming off a strong season but had questions at quarterback. With the departure of their starter to the NFL, the room was wide open. Joey Aguilar saw not just an opportunity, but a responsibility. If she was going to bet on herself, this was the table to play at.

From the moment she arrived on campus in June, Aguilar treated every rep like it was game day. She wasn’t loud or brash. Her leadership came through in the details—first on the field, last off, knowing the playbook inside out, and demanding the same from others. Her mechanics were sharp, her throws crisp, but it was the way she read defenses and communicated with receivers that started turning heads.

She wasn’t alone in the battle. Tennessee’s quarterback room is filled with talent, including a highly-touted five-star sophomore and a redshirt junior who’s been waiting for his shot. On paper, it might seem like the odds are stacked against a transfer coming in so late. But Aguilar has never cared much for paper odds. She’s built her career on earning every snap, every start, every accolade.

In spring practices and summer workouts, she made it clear that she wasn’t just visiting. Coaches were impressed by her command of the huddle and her ability to adapt. Offensive coordinator Matt Winston said Aguilar has “that rare blend of maturity and urgency” that elevates everyone around her. “She didn’t come in trying to take over,” Winston noted. “She came in trying to win, and those are two very different things.”

Teammates quickly gravitated toward her. Wide receiver Julian Parks, expected to be Tennessee’s top target this year, said Aguilar brought a “professional energy” to the locker room. “You just know when someone’s real about it,” Parks said. “She’s in the film room more than anyone. And when she throws you the ball, it hits you like she means it. She’s got that zip, man. That confidence.”

Aguilar knows confidence is part of the game, but she also knows it doesn’t guarantee anything. She remembers where she came from—how she was overlooked coming out of high school in Antioch, California. Junior college ball wasn’t part of her original plan, but it became a proving ground. She played at Diablo Valley College, where she put up impressive numbers, but more importantly, developed the toughness and humility that would carry her forward.

At Appalachian State, she didn’t start immediately. She sat, she studied, she learned. And when her moment came, she seized it. She turned doubters into believers with every precise throw and every calm decision under pressure. Now, at Tennessee, she faces a new set of skeptics—but that’s always been part of her journey.

For Aguilar, the transition hasn’t just been about football. Moving across the country, adjusting to a new culture, and stepping into a program with massive expectations comes with challenges. But she’s embraced the change. She’s often spotted around campus with her notebook, jotting down not just plays, but thoughts, reminders, ideas. A new city, a new team, a new chapter—it’s all fuel.

She’s not trying to erase the past. She’s proud of what she accomplished at Appalachian State. But this move is about expansion, about testing the ceiling of her potential. Tennessee’s offense is known for its pace, its explosiveness, and its demand for precision. Aguilar has spent countless hours syncing with her new receivers, running timing drills, and studying film until her eyes blur. She’s taken to the system quickly, and coaches have noted her rapid grasp of complex reads.

The quarterback battle is ongoing, and head coach Marcus Ellison has made it clear there’s no rush to name a starter. “We want to make sure we get it right,” Ellison said. “We’ve got talent in that room. Joey’s come in and competed from day one. She’s making it tough on everyone, and that’s a good thing. That’s what competition’s supposed to do.”

Ellison has praised her poise and decision-making, especially in red zone drills where turnovers are non-negotiable. During a recent scrimmage, Aguilar completed 14 of 18 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns, including a no-look dart over the middle that left defenders shaking their heads. She doesn’t scramble unless she has to, but when she does, she moves with purpose, not panic.

Off the field, Aguilar has kept a low profile. She’s not interested in social media hype or NIL endorsements—at least not yet. Her focus is singular: earn the trust of her team, earn the starting job, and win games. Everything else, she believes, will follow.

Her work ethic has also caught the attention of Tennessee’s strength and conditioning staff. Over the summer, Aguilar added eight pounds of muscle, improved her vertical leap, and shaved a tenth of a second off her 40-yard dash. Not that she’s looking to be a dual-threat quarterback, but she knows every edge counts.

There’s also a quiet fire in her. Those who know her best say she’s driven by more than just success. She wants to change the narrative. As a woman in a highly visible, male-dominated sport, she understands the barriers. But she doesn’t talk about breaking them—she just does it. One rep at a time. One read at a time. One drive at a time.

Her teammates don’t see her as a novelty. They see her as a quarterback, plain and simple. And perhaps that’s the biggest victory so far. In a sport where perception often precedes performance, Aguilar is flipping the script through her work, her consistency, and her results.

The next few weeks will be telling. With the season opener looming, the coaching staff will soon need to make a call. But Aguilar isn’t lobbying for the job. She’s letting her play speak for itself. And so far, it’s saying a lot.

She understands the weight of the position. Quarterbacks at Tennessee aren’t just players—they’re symbols. The names of past greats echo in every stadium chant and alumni memory. It’s a legacy Aguilar respects deeply, but it doesn’t intimidate her. She’s not trying to be the next anyone. She’s trying to be the first Joey Aguilar.

In the quiet moments, when the stadium is empty and the pads are off, she thinks about how far she’s come. The long days in junior college, the uphill climb at App State, the decision to leave comfort behind for a shot at something bigger. It’s been anything but easy. But for Aguilar, easy was never the point.

She doesn’t know how this season will unfold. No quarterback ever truly does. But she knows what she’s capable of, and more importantly, she knows what it takes. Tennessee didn’t promise her anything. They gave her a chance. That’s all she’s ever needed.

So she keeps grinding. Keeps studying. Keeps leading. She’s building something—not just a case to start, but a foundation for what could be a remarkable year. And if things go her way, Tennessee fans will be chanting her name by season’s end—not because she transferred in, but because she earned it, every step of the way.

Joey Aguilar isn’t here for the spotlight. She’s here for the fight. And when kickoff comes, she plans to be the one under center—not because of hype, or hope, but because she outworked everyone to get there.