Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar Sues NCAA to Play One More Season: What It Means for Him - and the Vols
Joey Aguilar isn’t ready to hang up his college cleats just yet. After a breakout 2025 season under center for Tennessee, the quarterback is taking his fight off the field - and into the courtroom - as he sues the NCAA in an effort to secure one final year of eligibility.
According to a complaint filed on his behalf, Aguilar is challenging the NCAA’s ruling that he's exhausted his eligibility, arguing that his early years in junior college football shouldn’t count against him. The lawsuit paints a picture of a player who’s not just chasing more time on the field, but also the significant financial opportunities that come with it - reportedly around $2 million in NIL compensation if he suits up for the Vols in 2026.
The Long Road to Knoxville
Aguilar’s college football journey has been anything but conventional. He redshirted in 2019 at City College of San Francisco, then missed the 2020 season entirely due to COVID-19 cancellations - a lost year for many athletes.
From there, he played two seasons at Diablo Valley College before transferring to Appalachian State in 2023. After two seasons with the Mountaineers, he made the leap to Tennessee for the 2025 campaign.
That winding path - from JUCO ball to the SEC - is at the heart of this legal battle. Aguilar and his legal team are leaning on a similar case filed by Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, who also challenged the NCAA’s practice of counting JUCO seasons toward the four-year eligibility limit. The argument is rooted in antitrust law, claiming that the NCAA’s rule unfairly restricts athletes’ ability to compete and earn in today’s NIL-driven landscape.
What Tennessee Stands to Gain
The Volunteers would gladly welcome Aguilar back if the court grants him eligibility. And why wouldn’t they?
In 2025, Aguilar led Tennessee to an 8-5 record, throwing for 3,565 yards and 24 touchdowns, with 10 interceptions. He added four more scores on the ground, showing off the dual-threat ability that made him such a valuable asset in Josh Heupel’s offense.
Tennessee’s quarterback situation heading into 2026 is still evolving, but Aguilar’s return would give them a proven veteran presence and a clear leader in the huddle. His familiarity with the system, combined with the experience he’s gained from playing across multiple levels of college football, could be a stabilizing force for a Vols team looking to take the next step in the SEC.
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t just a Tennessee story - it's part of a growing trend of players challenging the NCAA’s long-standing eligibility rules in the era of player empowerment and NIL. Aguilar’s case could set a precedent for how JUCO years are treated moving forward, especially for athletes whose careers were disrupted by the pandemic.
For now, the ball is in the court’s hands. But if Aguilar gets the green light, expect him to be back in orange and white, leading the charge in Neyland Stadium and making a strong case that his college football story isn’t finished just yet.