If Josh Heupel had made a different choice in the spring, Tennessee could’ve been staring down a QB nightmare. When Nico Iamaleava made the surprise move to UCLA back in April, the Vols were suddenly left scrambling with no starting QB. Coaches had to pivot fast, and the transfer portal became their lifeline. Before they landed Joey Aguilar from UCLA, they explored other options, including one that could have brought up the toxic narrative in Knoxville again. 

ESPN reported Tennessee’s interest in the Kansas State QB Avery Johnson then. But it never worked out as a K-State source told ESPN, “We got a damned wall built around him. They better bring the Tennessee National Guard.” Fast forward to the start of the 2025 season, and it’s easy to see why Josh Heupel might have dodged a bullet. On August 23, Vols Big Orange Podcast posted on X, “The Tennessee Vols unknowingly avoided a toxic quarterback situation that would’ve been a huge headache.” And that headache is on full display at the Farmageddon. 

Kansas State had talent on the field, but the drama off it was impossible to ignore. Avery Johnson’s debut against Iowa State in Dublin, Ireland, didn’t just feature a 273-yard, two-touchdown performance. It came with a sideshow of family chaos. According to Tim Fitzgerald of 247Sports and witnesses at Aviva Stadium, his father, Mark Johnson, got into a physical confrontation with Avery’s older brother. The altercation, reportedly fueled by post-game tension and K-State’s 24-21 disappointment, drew attention away from the field and onto the sideline melee. 

Social media lit up as fans debated the bizarre scene, turning what should have been a season-opening celebration into a family drama spectacle. No arrests were made, but the incident was enough to raise eyebrows across college football circles. The Vols had their fair share of quarterback family drama in the past, and the recent incident only highlights why Tennessee would try their best to avoid similar distractions. In a sport already full of pressure, Josh Heupel quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Because as the Johnson family saga stole headlines across the Atlantic, Tennessee quietly found its calm in Joey Aguilar, a QB built for stability and opportunity.

Joey Aguilar is half of CFB’s wildest flips

Joey Aguilar didn’t exactly have a clear career path to college football. When Nico Iamaleava bolted for UCLA, he left the Bruins to take the Rocky Top reins. “After high school, Joey Aguilar thought his football career was finished. He began looking into becoming a firefighter,” a report detailed. “After giving football another chance, that journey’s led him to becoming the starting quarterback at Tennessee.” And that journey began at Diablo Valley Community College and then 25 games at Appalachian State in 2023 and 2024.

Now 24, Joey Aguilar’s arrival in Knoxville in May marked the start of yet another chapter. Standing at 6’3, 225 pounds, he amassed 6,760 passing yards, 56 touchdowns, and added 452 rushing yards with five scores. He’ll make his 25th career start on Aug. 30 against Syracuse in Atlanta. “Coming out here and being the starting quarterback for this program is nothing but excitement, and that’s all I can say,” he said. “I’m just super excited.”

Adapting to chaos isn’t new to him. During the 2020 pandemic shutdown, Joey Aguilar almost became a firefighter. Now, he’s learning Josh Heupel’s offense at warp speed, early mornings, late nights, endless film sessions, and becoming comfortable enough to control the offense on his own. “It took a while, but I got it down,” he said. The HC confirmed the decision, praising his starting QB’s accuracy and decision-making. In a way, Tennessee didn’t just dodge drama; they found a QB built to handle it.