Early in the 2025 season, Tennessee football looked like an early contender in the SEC and a team that could potentially make it back to the College Football Playoff for a second-consecutive season. Unfortunately, close losses to Georgia and Oklahoma derailed those hopes in what ended up being an 8-5 campaign for the Volunteers.
Now, Josh Heupel and company may be forced to find a new quarterback heading into 2026. Their 2025 starter, Joey Aguilar, is filing a waiver for another year of eligibility, but it currently looks unlikely that it will be granted, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.
There still has not been a final decision, but it looks like Aguilar will be off to the NFL and Tennessee will have to find a transfer quarterback. Former Arizona State star Sam Leavitt was in Knoxville for a visit this week, so he is one name to watch.
This report comes on the heels of the news that the NCAA denied Ole Miss star Trinidad Chambliss' medical waiver to come back in 2026, so this would make a pair of SEC standouts being kicked to the next level. Ole Miss still has a chance to appeal that decision, but it's looking bleak for Chambliss' hopes as well.
Aguilar came to Tennessee after a tumultuous offseason that saw Nico Iamaleava bail on the Volunteers in the spring, leading to Aguilar's decision to come to Knoxville, the former Appalachian State star had a very productive season at Tennessee. He finished the season with 3,565 yards and 24 touchdowns to just 10 interceptions in his first season of SEC football.
If Aguilar's waiver does get denied and Tennessee doesn't land a big-name transfer quarterback, freshman Jake Merklinger is still on the roster and has shown promise in spot duty, so that is another option for Heupel and company at quarterback.
Regardless of who is under center, a five-loss season is far below the standard Heupel has built at Tennessee. The pressure will be on in 2026 for the Volunteers to get back to the top of college football and compete for a championship.
