The Tennessee Volunteers suffered a shocking and detrimental loss over the offseason when Nico Iamaleava transferred out. It left a gaping hole under center, one that they'll hope is filled by Joey Aguilar. The success of their season in 2025 will likely depend strongly upon that.
Unfortunately, he won't be, at least according to CBS Sports insider Brad Crawford. In fact, the analyst has a bold prediction that Tennessee won't see every game started by one quarterback, which is not a good thing.
"Tennessee fans hoping Joey Aguilar will be a program savior, following Nico Iamaleava's transfer to UCLA, may want to temper their expectations. The Vols' decision to part ways with the quarterback who helped lead them to the CFP last season was one of the most surprising and potentially damaging moves across the Power Four this offseason -- and it could backfire in Knoxville," he said.
The QB was instrumental in their success last season, but he's gone now. That decision in and of itself is rather shocking, and the results in 2025 of swapping out such an important position could be equally as shocking.
"Heupel has downplayed Iamaleava's departure and shifted focus to the three quarterbacks on the roster, but this is a pressure-filled situation. Tennessee opens the season with a challenging stretch, facing Syracuse and Georgia within the first three weeks," he concluded. Those three games could make or break the season for Aguilar, who might not make it the season without heading to the bench.