The Joey Aguilar vs the NCAA case has hit a major milestone in a Knox County courtroom. While everyone was hoping for a final ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on his judgment day today, the judge decided to delay a ruling for a few more days. According to Outkick’s Trey Wallace’s it’s getting more complicated than ever before, and that might actually turn out well for Tennessee’s gunslinger.

Trey Wallace has been on the ground in Knoxville covering Joey Aguilar’s fight for one more season with the Tennessee Vols. According to him, the atmosphere in court was intense. Aguilar is seeking an extra year of eligibility and is trying to apply the same JUCO-related rule that Diego Pavia is arguing in a separate Middle Tennessee federal court case. The hearing didn’t bring any big, dramatic moments, but it did show just how complicated these eligibility fights are becoming.

“I will say the biggest thing that stood out to me today is that they can’t figure out what the damages are. When it comes to monetary damages, neither side can really prove anything because the NIL contracts out there right now are pretty under wraps,” Turner said, suggesting the case could set a significant legal precedent.

One of the biggest issues here in court was damages, basically, proving financial harm. Aguilar’s side argued that if he can’t play, it could hurt Tennessee financially, especially in the NIL era. But the judge pushed back and asked them for their proof. With NIL deals being private these days, neither side could, surprisingly, show how much money is actually being lost. No one’s publicly confirming what quarterbacks are making, so it’s hard to put real numbers in front of the court.

Judge Christopher Heagerty didn’t show any home-field advantage for the Vols, despite the courthouse being less than a mile from the stadium. Judge Haggerty seemed focused on one simple question: Can you prove the hard evidence of damage? Everyone may assume there’s money on the line, but in court, assumptions aren’t enough. But without hard data, it’s a bit tough to show how keeping Aguilar off the field directly hurts either him or the program in measurable dollars. That has been the sticking point in his case lately.

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

Then again, when you look at the reported numbers, the stakes here are massive. Not only for the team but also for Aguilar’s wallet. His legal team argued that if he isn’t allowed to play in 2026, he could lose out on anywhere between $2 million $4 million in NIL money. Because he played two years of junior college ball before moving to the big leagues, the NCAA says that his team is up. Aguilar argues that his early years shouldn’t count the same way, and Wallace has pointed out that this case could set a precedent for other athletes in the same boat.

For the time being, the temporary restraining order (TRO) remains in place until the judge rules on the injunction. A decision could come in the next few days, though Monday is a federal holiday, which might slow things down for now. This could be good news for Joey Aguilar.

Joey Aguilar could end up as the last man standing

Josh Heupel and Tennessee fans are paying close attention because if Aguilar gets the green light, the chances of them making the playoffs are three times higher. As a matter of fact, with weapons like Mike Matthews, DeSean Bishop, Ethan Davis, and Braylon Staley returning, there’s no reason for the Vols not to make the top 5 offense in the country, even the top 3 next season.

If the judge thought the case was weak, he could have thrown it out immediately. Instead, he wants more time to review it, which means he thinks it’s serious and worth considering. The judge’s also a Tennessee graduate, so there’s that.

Both sides made strong arguments. The judge even said Aguilar may have suffered some kind of damage. There’s no clear timeline for a final decision, but it should come soon. Whatever happens could also affect other players dealing with the NCAA in similar cases.