Tennessee football is in a weird spot going into transfer portal season. There is still no indication of whether Joey Aguilar will be back in 2026, but it seems increasingly likely that he won't be. 2025 backup quarterback Jake Merklinger plans to enter the transfer portal, so that leaves the Vols with two freshmen for next year: George McIntyre and Faizon Brandon.
Josh Heupel did hint in a press conference on Thursday that if Aguilar is not coming back next season, they will go out and get a transfer portal quarterback who can help the Vols compete. There have been a lot of names Vols fans want to be the signal caller in 2026 if Aguilar is gone.
Sam Leavitt and Brendan Sorsby are a couple of names being thrown around, but a new candidate who the Vols will be very interested in is planning to enter the portal.
TCU's star quarterback, Josh Hoover, has told ESPN's Pete Thamel that he will enter the transfer portal when it opens in January.
NEWS: TCU quarterback Josh Hoover intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal, he tells ESPN. He projects to have the most passing yards 9,629 and touchdown passes 71 of any quarterback in the sport expected to return in 2026. pic.twitter.com/ox4XvpyGuB
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 19, 2025
Why Josh Hoover would be a great fit in Knoxville
Josh Hoover would be an excellent option for Tennessee next fall. Let's not forget that, after the Nico Iamaleava drama last spring, Tennessee was linked to Hoover, so there is some indication the staff does like his game.
Hoover is an excellent quarterback who would fit in well in the Heupel system. In 2025, Hoover had 3,472 passing yards and completed 66% of his passes. He also added 29 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Hoover can run a high-tempo offense and process a defense at an elite level. TCU plays with a lot of tempo and has an air-raid scheme that he has mastered. The apparent concern is that Hoover isn't very mobile, but if he can make all the throws, it's not a big deal. He would have one more year of eligibility left so that the young guys could step up in 2027.
Hoover would instantly make Tennessee a contender in the SEC next season. He has played in 36 career games and his veteran football acumen is exactly what the Vols quarterback room needs.
Don't be shocked if Tennessee is a major factor in Hoover's recruitment.