With Tennessee’s season officially in the books following a narrow 30-28 loss to Illinois in the Music City Bowl, quarterback Joey Aguilar took the podium, possibly for the last time in orange and white. The Vols came up just short in a game that swung on a handful of critical plays - and Aguilar, to his credit, didn’t shy away from owning his part in it.
On the Missed Opportunity from Joakim Dodson’s Kick Return
Momentum is a fickle thing in football, and for a moment, Tennessee had it. Joakim Dodson’s electric kick return looked like it could tilt the game.
It didn’t. Aguilar acknowledged how big that moment felt - and how quickly Illinois snatched it back.
“A loss is a disappointment all around,” Aguilar said. “That’s a lot of momentum.
Good player, he went out there, got a shot, made a play and just built momentum on our side. And Illinois just went, took advantage of it and made a play.”
That sequence sums up the game in a nutshell. Tennessee had flashes - moments where it felt like they were about to seize control - but Illinois always had an answer. And in the end, that made the difference.
On What This Season - and Tennessee - Meant to Him
If this was Aguilar’s final game as a Volunteer, he’s leaving with more than just stats in the box score. He spoke with genuine appreciation for the program, the locker room, and the opportunity he was given.
“I just can’t thank Coach, teammates enough for believing in me and trusting me to lead this team,” he said. “Obviously there’s a lot I think I could have done better, but it’s been a great year in this short amount of time I’ve been here.”
Aguilar’s time in Knoxville might have been brief, but it clearly left a mark. He talked about relationships that go beyond the game - bonds with teammates and coaches that he believes will outlast the season.
“It goes beyond sports,” he added. “Just super grateful for these guys for believing in me and trusting me to go out there and lead them.”
On Illinois’ Disruptive Pass Rush
One of the storylines of the game was how Illinois managed to keep Tennessee’s offense from ever fully settling in. The pressure was consistent, and it clearly impacted Aguilar’s rhythm.
“They did a good job,” he said. “We got to do better. I got to do better of identifying and getting to my reads faster.”
It was a simple but honest assessment. Illinois didn’t do anything exotic - they just executed.
And Aguilar, to his credit, didn’t deflect. He recognized that the offense, and especially the quarterback play, needed to be sharper.
On the End of His 200-Yard Passing Streak
Aguilar had been a steady producer through the air all season, but against Illinois, he didn’t hit the 200-yard mark - a streak that had become a regular part of Tennessee’s offensive identity. But in his eyes, the decision to lean on the run game wasn’t just about numbers - it was about taking what the defense gave them.
“Just allowing the run game to work and don’t go away from something that’s working,” he explained. “They didn’t want to get beat deep, so they just wanted to keep everything in front and drop a lot of people back.”
Rather than force throws into heavy coverage, Tennessee leaned into the ground game. It was a calculated adjustment - one that made sense in the moment, even if it meant Aguilar’s streak came to an end.
“We didn’t want to force nothing, so we just let our running backs ease and went on from there,” he said.
It wasn’t the ending Tennessee had hoped for, and it might be the final chapter of Joey Aguilar’s college career. But if this was his farewell, he left with honesty, accountability, and gratitude - and that says a lot about the kind of leader he was for this team.