UCLA’s last few months have been quite eventful. With Nico Iamaleava on board, Joey Aguilar had taken the exit and jumped to Tennessee. Do you remember his message? After committing to Josh Heupel’s squad, Aguilar wrote, “This journey hasn’t been mine; it’s been shared with everyone who has supported me.” Clearly, he has a strong support system, and one key person cheering for him is his sweetheart, Rylan Moffitt.

While this offseason has been busy for the quarterback, he’s also focused on a new chapter with his girlfriend. Aguilar-Moffitt? It’s a perfect match. The quarterback is an athlete, and Moffitt also plays forward for the App State Mountaineers’ women’s basketball team. As they both grow in their careers, they make sure to celebrate special moments.

June 16 marked the quarterback’s birthday, and Moffitt showed her love on Instagram. She posted a black and white picture of Aguilar with a heartfelt caption: “Happy birthday, my love 🤍 Watching you live and loving you is the greatest joy. Year 24- I pray God goes before you and does exceedingly and abundantly more than you could ask or imagine.” The story continued with a sweet collage of their dates, from golfing to shared meals and mirror selfies, ending simply with “I love you!”

Aguilar’s 24th birthday called for a special celebration. The couple enjoyed a simple photoshoot in nature, dressed casually—Aguilar in a basic tee and trousers, Moffitt in a white dress. Their love shone through as they walked hand-in-hand through lavender fields, Aguilar lifting Moffitt while they gazed at each other. The post’s caption, “you & me,” perfectly showed their bond, instantly setting couple goals.

Professionally, both of them are stepping into a new chapter. Like Aguilar, Moffitt also completed her sophomore year during the 2024-2025 season. She rounded off her freshman year on a high note with an average of 6.6 ppg, 8.0 pg, 1.2 apg, and 1.0 bpg. Moffitt wrapped up her Mountaineers chapter and is now committed to UNCG for women’s basketball. And what about Aguilar?  

Escaping the UCLA shuffle, Joey Aguilar walks into a new storm 

While the former UCLA quarterback took the big leap to the Vols squad, escaping the QB competition, Tennessee, too, has some in reserve for him. Aguilar now gets to fight for his spot, beating Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre. Well, the UCLA transfer brings with him a cannon for an arm and can light up the scoreboard. However, not to forget that he also has a little bit of a turnover bug.

Aguilar threw 23 touchdowns but also watched his interception totals creep higher. On that note, analyst Spencer McLaughlin came up with a crucial question. “Can Joey Aguilar or whoever winds up starting for Josh Heupel this year game manage his way to get Tennessee back into the playoffs?”

That’s when Eric Cain highlighted on the blueprint that Heupel’s quarterback needs to follow: “He’s just got to protect the football. He turned the football over a ton this past year, he had a record-setting year in 2023 with App State school records and all that.” Even then, a tough obstacle will still remain.

Upon winning the starting job, Joey Aguilar will need to lead Tennessee to a record of 10-2 or better. This 10-win mark is what the Volunteers achieved in the 2024 season with Iamaleava. So, what sets Aguilar apart? Heupel’s new quarterback threw for over 3,000 yards and 20 or more touchdowns in each of his two seasons at Appalachian State, surpassing his predecessor’s numbers. He’s got the heart, the hype, and his girl by his side—now it’s Aguilar’s turn to own the spotlight in Tennessee.