Nico Iamaleava’s exit from Tennessee has left a significant hole for the Volunteers as they head into the 2025 season. The promising quarterback transferred to UCLA, leaving Tennessee with a quarterback uncertainty that hangs over their offseason preparations. With Iamaleava gone, the Volunteers have turned to Joey Aguilar, a player with an unconventional journey but big shoes to fill. 

Aguliar is a guy who’s already had quite the journey from Appalachian State to UCLA and now back East to Tennessee. This season, all eyes will be on him to see if he can step into shoes that were hard to fill and spark the offense anew. The question now is whether Aguilar and the coaching staff can overcome this challenge and steer Tennessee back to contention in an unforgiving SEC landscape.

Now, SEC insider and longtime SEC Network voice Paul Finebaum is not holding back about how he feels concerning Tennessee’s outlook for 2025. In Netflix Sports’ recent video, Finebaum said bluntly, “I think Tennessee will struggle this year. They’re good. Josh Heupel’s a very innovative coach, but it just feels like they’re stuck at the moment.” He pointed to the loss of quarterback Nico Iamaleava to UCLA as a major blow. “Joey Aguilar is now their quarterback. So think about his journey. Appalachian State to UCLA, didn’t play a down. Now he’s already back on the East Coast at Tennessee.” Aguilar’s stats back his capability, over 3,000 passing yards and 20 touchdowns in both 2023 and 2024, but Finebaum is hesitant about his ability to fill Iamaleava’s shoes right away.

Finebaum is pessimistic about Tennessee’s playoff prospects this year. He said, “Tennessee will not make the playoffs. I’m very out on that, and it really has to do with losing Nico [Iamaleava].” When talking about big matchups, Finebaum pointed out how tough it has been for opponents like Georgia, saying, “You know, getting Georgia a couple weeks into the season maybe looks like an opportunity, but I’ve seen a lot of Georgia wins at Neyland Stadium, as you probably have.” Indeed, Tennessee’s historic rivalry battles at the iconic Neyland Stadium have been epic, but the Volunteers will have a tough hill to climb.

For Tennessee fans who tasted the sweet experience of a College Football Playoff berth last season, these are sobering words. Finebaum’s assessment underscores the uphill battle the Vols face in retaining that elite status, especially with the uncertainties at quarterback and an SEC landscape that shows no mercy. But in college football, every season is a fresh story, full of unexpected heroes and bullish comebacks. So as the Volunteers prepare to take the field, the question lingers. Can Joey Aguilar and Josh Heupel turn this moment of doubt into a breakout year? For college football lovers, nothing’s more exciting than witnessing that fight unfold live. Tennessee’s journey in 2025 promises plenty of drama and heart to keep us all watching.

A rocky road ahead for Tennessee

Building on the doubts from Paul Finebaum and others, Tennessee’s chances for the 2025 College Football Playoff look shakier than ever. Analyst Adam Spencer summed it up bluntly on Saturday Down South, saying, “I’m low on Tennessee this year…I think their over/under is at 8 and a half. I think that they’re going to come in under that.” Spencer highlights how the Volunteers’ schedule, although among the more favorable in the SEC, offers little room for error. He noted it’s more about Tennessee facing some bottom-tier opponents than belief in their ceiling. This paints a picture of a team that will have to fight hard just to stay afloat, let alone contend for the playoffs.

Spencer’s concerns delve deeper than the schedule. The Tennessee running game may find some success, but the replacement running back, Kaleb Bishop, doesn’t project as a game-changer, and Joey Aguliar had 14 interceptions last season. Spencer framed the Vols’ entire season as “a bet on Josh Heupel…a bet on Tim Banks specifically on defense… and on the schedule.” The pressure is on Heupel and defensive coordinator Banks to steer a relatively unproven group through a challenging SEC gauntlet that includes a Week 3 showdown with powerhouse Georgia and other tough foes like Alabama, Oklahoma, and Florida.

Amid the skepticism, former Vols standout Jalin Hyatt offered a different tone, praising Heupel’s leadership and demanding style. Hyatt said, “One thing about Heupel that I love about him is he has a backbone… It’s his way or no way. And if you want to be a part of what’s his plan… he will get the best version out of you.” Hyatt’s experience speaks volumes. He went from being overlooked on the depth chart to winning the prestigious Biletnikoff Award in 2022 under Heupel’s watch. His endorsement suggests that while the road ahead is tough, Tennessee’s cultural foundation and coaching remain strong. Still, reclaiming the playoff and the “Tennessee way” requires rallying behind that vision and overcoming the very tangible hurdles.