No. 24 Tennessee trying to build off CFP berth with new QB in Josh Heupel’s 5th season

By Canadian Press on August 19, 2025.

Josh Heupel has a new starting quarterback for his 24th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers, with Joey Aguilar coming through the transfer portal to earn the job for the season opener Aug. 30 against Syracuse in Atlanta.

“He’s extremely comfortable in what we’re doing right now,” Heupel said of Aguilar.

Quarterback had been the biggest question for the Vols because Nico Iamaleava stunningly left just before the spring game. Iamaleava landed at UCLA, where Aguilar changed his mind and chose Tennessee after throwing for 3,003 yards with 23 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions last season at Appalachian State.

He beat out Jake Merklinger, who played in two games for the Vols last season, and freshman George MacIntyre.

Quarterback is just one of many positions on offense that will feature a new starter from 2024, when Tennessee went 10-3. The Vols reached the College Football Playoff before losing in the first round to eventual national champion Ohio State.

Replacing Sampson

Tennessee also has a deep group to help replace Dylan Sampson, the SEC Offensive Player of the Year who left for the NFL. He keyed the SEC’s best rushing offense and ninth nationally by running for a school-record 1,491 yards.

DeSean Bishop earned a scholarship after running for 455 yards last season, and the Vols also have Star Thomas, who transferred from Duke. He has experience with 40 career games at Duke and New Mexico State and 2,044 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns.

New offensive line

Left tackle Lance Heard is the only returning starter with David Sanders Jr., a five-star recruit, on track to start at right tackle. Tennessee has to find a new center with Cooper Mays gone after holding that spot for Heupel’s first four seasons.

Heupel also added experience through the transfer portal Sam Pendleton started seven games at left guard and was the backup center for Notre Dame, which lost in the national championship game. Wendell Moe Jr. started two seasons at guard for Arizona.

Catching questions

This position may be the Vols’ biggest issue. The top three wide receivers from 2024 are gone to the NFL, medical retirement or the portal. Seven are on scholarship with only three having played in college.

Watching McCoy

Preseason AP All-American Jermod McCoy could be the first cornerback selected in the 2026 NFL draft depending on his return from the ACL torn in January. He started practicing in early August. Tennessee has experience in the secondary, but McCoy tied for the team lead with four interceptions in 2024.

The schedule

The Vols have one of the easier schedules in the SEC. ETSU is the home opener Sept. 6 before hosting No. 5 Georgia, then UAB. The SEC road slate starts Sept. 27 at Mississippi State with visits to No. 8 Alabama on Oct. 18 and Kentucky on Oct. 25.

Tennessee leaves Rocky Top only once in November to play No. 15 Florida. That leaves the Vols playing three of four at home hosting No. 18 Oklahoma, New Mexico State and Vanderbilt. ___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Teresa M. Walker, The Associated Press