Josh Heupel’s Tennessee is wasting no time in the transfer portal’s QB market. With Joey Aguilar’s eligibility still up in the air, the Vols are already eyeing UNLV quarterback Anthony Colandrea as a potential replacement.

“Sources have told On3 that UNLV transfer quarterback Anthony Colandrea is expected to command significant Power Four interest,” Pete Nakos reports. “While Florida State has started to surface, sources have cautioned that other schools are heavily in the mix. Keep an eye on Tennessee, too.”

With just 6 days left for the portal to open, this is Tennessee’s most justified move. Anthony Colandrea’s decision dropped like a bomb just 24 hours ago. Fresh off winning Mountain West Player of the Year honors and leading UNLV to a 10-win season, the former Virginia transfer plans to reenter the transfer portal when it officially opens on January 2, heading into his final year of eligibility.

Colandrea said the move is the “best step for my academic and athletic future,” even though it came right after UNLV’s season-ending loss. What makes it more surprising is that Colandrea had previously said he wasn’t planning to transfer.

“I’m not transferring,” he said. “Not going anywhere. I’m staying here. I just want to play in the (bowl game) and finish out the year with the guys.

This won’t be his first time in the portal, though. He moved from Virginia to UNLV after Dan Mullen took the Rebels’ head coaching job in December 2024. And he made it clear back then how draining the process can be.

“I don’t want to go through that again because it’s not fun,” Colandrea said during bowl practices.

Now, here he is again, waiting for a new home, and Tennessee is circling. Colandrea put together a career year in his lone season at UNLV, throwing for 3,459 yards on 65.9% passing. He added 649 rushing yards and accounted for 33 total touchdowns. He led the Rebels back to the Mountain West title game and finished third nationally in total offense with 4,108 yards. Over 32 career starts under his belt, Colandrea has accounted for 7542 passing yards and 49 touchdowns. That means he will be one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the portal.

Noah Reisenfeld and Adie von Gontard of Young Money APAA Sports are representing him in the portal. As for Tennessee, the fit makes a lot of sense. Colandrea has shown he can adapt quickly to new systems, making him a true plug-and-play option. His quick release, accuracy in the intermediate game, and NFL-caliber arm suit a high-tempo spread offense perfectly. He can hit tight windows, push the ball downfield, and keep an offense on schedule. On top of that, his production is efficient. Anthony Colandrea posted an 86.7 PFSN QB Impact Grade in 2025, ranking 14th nationally. However, can he be more impactful than Joey Aguilar?

Joey Aguilar’s hope takes backseat as he endorses backup QB

With the 2025 season winding down, plenty of players are trying to make their case for an extra year of eligibility, and Joey Aguilar is one of them. The former JUCO quarterback is among 26 players seeking an extension, following a path similar to Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia. “I’m excited to go out there and play one more time for this team,” Aguilar told reporters. “I’m super grateful for the coaches, community, and players for accepting me in.”

Pavia set the tone earlier this season when a preliminary injunction allowed him to suit up for Vanderbilt. He went on to lead the Commodores to a historic 10-win season and even earned a spot as a Heisman Trophy finalist. Aguilar is now pointing to that situation as a blueprint for his own case. The App State transfer put up strong numbers this year, throwing for 3,444 yards and 24 touchdowns. So far, Aguilar has stayed quiet about the Pavia lawsuit since reports surfaced last month that he could be added as a plaintiff.

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For now, Aguilar seems to be at peace with whatever comes next. During Saturday’s press conference, the 24-year-old briefly reflected on his time in Knoxville, acknowledging that the Music City Bowl could be his final start for the Vols. He also threw his support behind backup quarterback George MacIntyre, backing him to step up for the bowl game if needed.

“Super talented, super smart, he’s a leader,” Aguilar said. “So when he gets a chance, he’ll go out there and take advantage of it for sure.”