Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar is fighting to get back on the field for the Vols in 2026, and his path back isn’t through the weight room or the playbook-it’s through the courtroom.
Aguilar, who transferred to Tennessee after two seasons at Appalachian State, finds himself at the center of a legal battle with the NCAA over his eligibility. The core of his argument?
That his time playing junior college football shouldn’t count against his NCAA eligibility clock. If the court agrees, Aguilar could have one more season in orange and white-a potentially massive boost for Tennessee heading into the fall.
This isn’t an isolated case, either. Aguilar’s situation is part of a broader wave of eligibility disputes making their way through the legal system.
Other high-profile athletes, like Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, and Alabama forward Charles Bediako, are also challenging the NCAA’s longstanding rules on eligibility. Each case comes with its own unique circumstances, but they all point toward a growing trend: players pushing back against the traditional limits that have defined college athletics for decades.
Initially, Aguilar was part of Pavia’s lawsuit against the NCAA, but he recently split off to pursue his case individually. The reason?
Time. With spring practice on the horizon and NFL decisions looming, Aguilar needs clarity-and fast.
For now, he’s been granted a temporary restraining order that allows him to participate in Tennessee’s winter workouts. But the next big moment comes Friday, when a judge will hear arguments for a preliminary injunction that could determine whether Aguilar suits up for the Vols this fall.
From Tennessee’s perspective, having Aguilar back would be a game-changer. He’s a veteran presence with experience at multiple levels, and in a college football landscape where quarterback continuity is gold, his return would give the Vols a major leg up in the SEC. But zoom out, and the implications of this case stretch far beyond Knoxville.
“If Joey wins and is granted a temporary injunction to play, it’s going to open the floodgates,” said On3 college football insider Chris Low during a recent episode of The RTI Low-Down. “It’s going to change college sports.”
Low’s point is hard to ignore. If Aguilar’s argument holds up in court, it could set a precedent for athletes across the country who’ve spent time at junior colleges and now want another shot at NCAA competition. And in today’s NIL-driven era, where a returning player can earn seven figures in a single season, it’s easy to understand why someone like Aguilar is going all-in on this opportunity.
“Joey hasn’t gone pro. He didn’t sign a contract.
He’s just trying to come back and play,” Low added. “If he’s got a chance to come back and make $2 million, how can you blame him for trying?”
That’s the heart of the conversation. This isn’t just about eligibility.
It’s about opportunity. About players weighing their futures in a world where the college game can offer real financial security-sometimes more than the uncertain road to the pros.
Still, each case comes with its own wrinkles. Bediako’s situation, for example, involves a return to college after going pro.
Chambliss is also awaiting a hearing this week. So while they all challenge the NCAA’s eligibility structure, they do so from different angles.
That makes it tough to predict how the courts will rule-or how the NCAA will respond if players start winning these battles.
“What does it mean for the rest of college sports? I don’t know,” Low admitted.
“But these cases are going to force some kind of change. They already are.”
For now, Aguilar is back in the building at Tennessee, working out with teammates and hoping Friday’s hearing brings good news. If it does, the Vols could get their quarterback back-and college football could be looking at the start of a new era in how eligibility is defined and defended.
No matter how this shakes out, one thing is clear: Joey Aguilar isn’t just fighting for another season. He might be helping reshape the rules of the game.