Sometimes, it's pretty darn funny how things turn out. Last week, plenty of Tennessee football fans went into panic mode with Nico Iamaleava officially entering the transfer portal. Things were made worse with Josh Heupel reportedly missing out on targets too.
However, after Iamaleava signed with UCLA on Sunday, Joey Aguilar ended up committing to the Vols on Monday, completing a QB trade if you will. Now that Aguilar is Knoxville-bound, he'll be given the keys to the offense and he'll be in an incredible spot to put together a strong year.
Matter of fact, the Vegas oddsmakers think he'll even have a better year than Nico? With the game of QB musical chairs taking place, FanDuel has given Aguilar +4500 odds to win the Heisman in 2025, while Iamaleava has been set at +8000. Pretty eye-opening if you ask us:
I just wanna point out….
— VOLBOY 🍊🧡 (@VOLBOYx) April 22, 2025
Your Heisman odds per @FDSportsbook have Joey Aguilar +4500, while Nico Iamaleava sits at +8000
He is 11 spots ahead 👀😂 pic.twitter.com/MDlg6W8Qtt
Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar holds +4500 Heisman odds after committing to the Vols
This is almost unreal. Up to a few days ago, not many people in Tennessee even knew who Aguilar was. However, that sure has changed, as he's now going to be ready to lead the offense once Week 1 gets here. Sure, Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre will still compete to start, but this is Aguilar's job to lose.
He's coming off back-to-back strong campaigns with App State. In 2023, the 6-3, 220-pounder tossed for 3,003 yards, 23 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. The year before, he recorded 3,757 passing yards and an eye-opening 33 TDs.
He's going to have some exciting weapons to work with now that he's with the Vols, of course including former 5-star prospect Mike Matthews. Could Heupel look to bring in some additional WR help for Aguilar? That's what a lot of people have in mind.
The adjustment to the SEC won't be easy, but Aguilar sure has the tools to make this a campaign to remember. He's known for throwing the ball all over the field, which will be on full display from the moment he makes his debut in orange.