Joey Aguilar was back on Rocky Top on Saturday, and the former Tennessee quarterback made the most of his return before the Vols faced Kentucky in a Dark Mode matchup at Neyland Stadium.
With the Jacksonville Jaguars idle after a Thursday Night Football win, Aguilar spent part of the afternoon on the Vol Walk, where he landed a front-row spot and caught up with plenty of familiar faces. Among the former teammates he greeted were Braylon Staley, David Sanders Jr., Mike Matthews and Radarious Jackson. He also exchanged handshakes and hugs with freshmen TK Keys and Faizon Brandon, along with VFL Hendon Hooker.
“JOEY!”
- Paige Dauer (@PaigeDauerFDP) November 7, 2026
Hendon + Joey back on Rocky Top!
@henhook2 + @Jooey16_ https://t.co/LlgKdS0IQO
- Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) November 7, 2026
Aguilar’s time in Knoxville lasted one season, but it was a productive one. In 2025, Tennessee went 8-5 overall and 4-4 in the SEC before falling to Illinois in the Music City Bowl. Aguilar helped drive the offense forward, finishing with an SEC-best 3,565 passing yards to go with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Before arriving at Tennessee, Aguilar spent two seasons at Appalachian State and two more at the junior college level. He only had spring practice to prepare for his lone year with the Vols after first transferring to UCLA, then re-entering the portal when Nico Iamaleava took his place with the Bruins.
Aguilar signed with the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent this past spring. He impressed during the preseason and has spent this season on Jacksonville’s practice squad.
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Josh Heupels DaSaahn Brame Update Gives Vols Fans Some Relief
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Josh Heupel eased some of that worry after the game, saying Brame is doing well and is expected to be in good condition for the upcoming matchup with Texas A&M. Tennessee still has to get through the first availability report, which comes Wednesday night, but for now the update gives Vols fans a little relief heading into a game week that already has plenty of attention on it. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee's Playoff Standing Suddenly Looks Less Comfortable Than It Seems
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For the Volunteers, the takeaway is less about being in the mix and more about how little margin there may be if the conference keeps stacking contenders around them. Kentucky, despite sitting No. 6 in the initial CFP rankings, did not appear in any of the new projections, a reminder that early positioning can shift quickly once the selection debate starts to narrow. The full set of ESPN picks only reinforces how tightly the race is being judged at the top. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee's Defense Just Sent Texas A&M A Brutal Message
Tennessees defense kept rolling in a 34-6 win over Kentucky, and Arion Carter was at the center of it with 13 tackles, four for loss and two sacks. The Volunteers smothered the Wildcats from start to finish, forcing three turnovers and shutting down fourth-down chances as the game tilted decisively in Tennessees favor.
That kind of performance lands with extra force this week because Texas A&M is next on the schedule, and the Aggies are already in a precarious spot after a loss to South Carolina. They need to win two of their final three games to become bowl eligible, and now they have to do it against a Tennessee defense that just spent an afternoon sending a very clear message. [Read more 🡒]