Tennessee was quick to find its starting quarterback after Nico Iamaleava switched his bases to the Bruins. Head coach Josh Heupel believes he has “got a team that’s accountable, connected, works hard, (and) competes hard,” with Joey Aguilar set to start under center. But is he good enough to replace someone as elite as Iamaleava at Knoxville?

The former UCLA commit who passed for 3,003 yards with 23 touchdowns and 14 interceptions last year has just been named the preseason top-50 player by College Sports Wire. Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year and Cure Bowl MVP in his first season with the Mountaineers, Aguilar’s resume does make him a perfect replacement for HC Heupel. However, filling in Iamaleava’s shoes at the Vols will be as challenging as it can get, and Paul Finebaum is still not impressed. He believes Aguilar is good but not great. But before jumping to conclusions, JD PicKell of On3 offers a perspective that just might flip the narrative.

Well, Aguilar is yet to prove his worth in Tennessee, but considering he had a relatively better year than Nico last season, PicKell believes he is the right man for Heupel.

“Now this sounds a little bit harsh, but like Joey Aguilar having a better year than Nico did last year. Statistically, it’s not that hard. Nico threw for 19 touchdowns last year, five interceptions, and it was good enough to get to the college football playoffs with 2,600 yards. Cool, but Joey Aguilar, in a down year, quote-unquote, at App State, threw for over 3,000 yards and 23 touchdowns.” It’s not what PicKell says; it’s what the data is suggesting.

”Now, the down year part of this is that he threw for double-digit interceptions last year? You’ve got to cut that down,” says the ON3 journalist. I mean, where is he wrong? Look at Aguilar’s deep ball throwing skill; this is something the Vols have been pleading to have for the last couple of years. The guy never seems to lose his cool under pressure in the pocket. Again, a huge plus! The 14 interceptions can be spared! right?

Adding to his gifts, PicKell added, “Joey Aguilar, the thing that I love about his game and the reason why I feel extra confident about him at Tennessee, in this prediction, he’s going to let it rip, just personality-wise. The way he plays the game is different than Nico. Some of this could have been Nico’s first year as starting quarterback, all the hype, all the expectations, that Tennessee maybe that wears on a guy, but like Joey Aguilar, he is not afraid to cut it fre—g loose.”

True, Aguilar stands out as a multifaceted personality on and off the field. A guy fiercely loyal to his team through anything and everything is something Heupel needs in his QB room to heal a wound he never thought he could have. The 6 ft 3 comes with an “I give my everything to Tennessee” mentality. “If you’re a Tennessee fan, I think you are, I think you’re excited about that, and you should be because of what he brings to the table,” JD read between the lines.

It seems Tennessee will be fine, irrespective of Nico Iamaleava’s absence. But Nico? Did he move on from all the cheers, love, and laughter echoing through the Neyland Stadium?

Nico Iamaleava sends an emotional tribute to the Tennessee fans 

Fighting for better pay is totally reasonable, especially in this NIL era. But the way things wrapped up for Nico Iamaleava at Rocky Top definitely left a sour taste for everyone involved. The golden-armed star of the Tennessee Volunteers football went from hero to villain pretty quickly. He prioritized his $4 million demand over loyalty and integrity. Still, that doesn’t erase all the great memories he made at the school.

On Sunday, the QB took a trip back to memory lane and posted a clip from his time at UT on his Instagram with five words that carried the somber tone of an uncelebrated farewell, spilling to his 203k followers what Tennessee meant to him: “gon[na] miss my real ones.” 

For a player who was once considered the poster boy, the future of Tennessee football, this was more than just a regular social media activity. It tasted like a tribute, some silent feeling of longing that remains the same. After all, Nico gave the Vols a lot to look back on, and it’s vice versa.