Judge denies Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar’s eligibility bidMark SchlabachFeb 20, 2026, 05:07 PM ETClose
- Senior college football writer
- Author of seven books on college football
- Graduate of the University of Georgia
A Tennessee state judge Friday denied Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar’s request for a preliminary injunction to play for the Volunteers this season, effectively ending his college career.
Aguilar’s attorneys had argued that his two seasons of play in junior college shouldn’t count toward his four years of eligibility in Division I.
Aguilar, 24, played two seasons at Diablo Valley Community College in California and two more at Appalachian State before joining the Volunteers last year.
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Chancery Christopher D. Heagerty’s ruling, issued in Knox County Chancery Court in Knoxville, Tennessee, is a major blow to the Volunteers, who don’t have a clear apparent successor to Aguilar for this coming season.
Aguilar’s attorneys wrote in court records that he stood to make about $2 million with the Volunteers this season.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether Aguilar’s attorneys would appeal the ruling. He is expected to take part in next week’s NFL combine.
Heagerty granted Aguilar a 15-day temporary restraining order Feb. 4, noting in his ruling then that the quarterback “has demonstrated a substantial likelihood of success on the merits of his claim.”
The recent ruling is a significant victory for the NCAA, which has faced several legal challenges to its eligibility rules. A judge in Mississippi ruled last week that Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss met the criteria to receive a medical redshirt for a sixth season and is eligible to play for the Rebels this season.
“The NCAA is thankful for the judge’s decision today which demonstrates the court’s consideration of eligibility standards and protecting access to the collegiate experience for current and future student-athletes,” the NCAA reported in a statement. “We will continue to defend the NCAA’s eligibility rules against attempts to circumvent foundational policies and hinder fair competition to all student-athletes. The NCAA is making changes to deliver more benefits to student-athletes and will continue to work with Congress to provide stability for all college athletes.”
NCAA attorney Taylor Askew, a Knoxville native and graduate of UT’s Winston College of Law, argued during last week’s hearing that it was time for Aguilar to move on.
“I love Tennessee football,” Askew reported. “I’m from Knoxville. I grew up watching it. My kids watch him every game. But at some point, when judges are looking at records like this, and in Tennessee we have to say, ‘Tennessee is better than this. We’re better than this. We don’t have to go to court to get our guy back. We don’t have to play somebody who is ineligible under the rules to win games. We don’t do that at Tennessee.'”
Aguilar was a co-plaintiff in former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia’s federal lawsuit against the NCAA, which challenged its rules that counted seasons at junior college against Division I eligibility.
Aguilar severed himself from that case, however, and sued the NCAA in state court because a ruling in Pavia’s complaint wasn’t expected until Feb. 10 at the earliest.
Pavia was granted a preliminary injunction by a federal judge that allowed him to play for the Commodores in 2025. He finished second in Heisman Trophy voting.
The NCAA Division I board of directors approved a blanket waiver Dec. 23, 2004, which granted an additional year of eligibility to former junior college transfers in situations similar to Pavia’s.
Pavia entered the NFL draft this year, but he kept his lawsuit going to help other former juco players potentially gain additional seasons of eligibility.
Aguilar also redshirted at City of College of San Francisco in 2019, and the next season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
After throwing for 6,760 yards with 56 touchdowns in two seasons at Appalachian State, Aguilar entered the transfer portal in December 2024. He was set to play at UCLA last season until former Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava unexpectedly transferred and signed with the Bruins in April.
Aguilar signed with Tennessee the next day. He completed 67.3% of his passes for 3,565 yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2025.
The Volunteers went 8-4, 4-4 in the SEC, last season.
Jake Merklinger, Aguilar’s backup last season, transferred to UConn. That leaves redshirt freshman George MacIntyre as the team’s potential starting quarterback. The eighth-ranked pocket passer in ESPN’s class of 2025, MacIntyre attempted nine passes in two games last season.
The Volunteers also added Ryan Staub, who spent the past three seasons at Colorado.
UT signed Faizon Brandon, the No. 3 pocket passer in the class of 2026.
