Florida head coach Jon Sumrall didn’t need to name names to make his point - but he did anyway, and he did it with a smirk. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, just hours after a Tennessee court granted quarterback Joey Aguilar a temporary restraining order to keep playing while his eligibility case plays out, Sumrall took a tongue-in-cheek jab that landed squarely in the middle of college football’s ongoing eligibility chaos.
“We’re going to file a temporary restraining order to bring back Tim Tebow,” Sumrall quipped. “I don’t know what the hell is going on with all of that. We’ll see if Tebow gets his years back.”
A joke, sure - but one that hits on a very real frustration coaches around the country are feeling. Sumrall, who just took over at Florida and is already dealing with the fallout of losing top quarterback DJ Lagway to Baylor via the transfer portal, is staring down a quarterback room that needs answers. Meanwhile, Aguilar, who’s been playing college football in some form since 2019, is fighting in court for the right to play a sixth season - and winning, at least for now.
The ruling out of Knox County gives Aguilar 15 more days of eligibility while the legal process unfolds. It’s a temporary solution to a much bigger problem: the NCAA’s eligibility rules, which are being tested like never before.
Aguilar’s path has been anything but linear. He redshirted in 2019, spent time in junior college, played two seasons at Appalachian State, and transferred to Tennessee last fall.
His legal argument hinges on whether his JUCO years should count against his Division I eligibility clock. The NCAA says yes.
His legal team says no.
Sumrall’s Tebow comment wasn’t just a punchline - it was a spotlight. If a player can litigate their way into more eligibility, where does it end?
Can anyone come back? Could a former Heisman winner, long retired from college football, theoretically make a return if the legal loopholes are wide enough?
Fans online ran with the absurdity. Some laughed, others shook their heads, and a few took it a step further.
“At this point, Tim Tebow might win lol,” one fan wrote.
Another chimed in: “The whole thing is so stupid you have to laugh. This has to stop.”
There’s a growing sense that the system is spiraling. What used to be a fairly rigid eligibility structure has now become a legal battleground. And while most players won’t push the envelope the way Aguilar has, his case could set a precedent that reshapes how eligibility is interpreted - or challenged - moving forward.
One fan summed up the general sentiment: “It’s getting ridiculous.”
Another offered a more measured take: “The only time a player should be able to come back is if they declare for the draft and go undrafted - guys that aren’t seniors and still have eligibility.”
That’s the kind of boundary coaches like Sumrall would probably welcome. Right now, though, the lines are blurry. And while Florida and Tennessee won’t face off next season due to SEC scheduling, Sumrall’s comments made it clear: he’s watching, and he’s not thrilled with what he’s seeing.
His jab at the system - wrapped in humor, delivered with perfect timing - wasn’t just about Aguilar. It was about the broader landscape of college football, where eligibility, transfers, and legal maneuvering are starting to feel like free agency without a salary cap.
Sumrall’s message? If we’re going to start bending the rules, we might as well bring back the legends. But until then, maybe it’s time to figure out where the line actually is - before someone else crosses it.