By Jack Glennon
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Death, taxes, and the Tennessee Volunteers taking their anger out on a low-level opponent the week after another heartbreaking conference loss.
Though the Volunteers pasted the New Mexico State Aggies on Saturday evening, the 42-9 victory should not be one that sends the always-packed Neyland Stadium crowd home satisfied.
The offense was, per usual, sloppy and, concerningly so. Senior quarterback Joey Aguilar rifled a pair of interceptions in the first half, and Tennessee’s offense was on the field for just 24 minutes.
Aguilar’s two interceptions raised his season total to 10, tying him for the second-most in the SEC. He trails only Florida’s DJ Lagway (12).
“Personally, [today] was definitely frustrating,” Aguilar said. “Just [need to] break down what I got to do right.”
Though Aguilar’s aggressive, gunslinging play style has been a breath of fresh air for Volunteer fans after Nico Iamaleava’s conservative approach arguably cost them two games a season ago, Iamaleava’s shortcomings are hardly an excuse for Aguilar’s inconsistencies.
Aguilar was never the answer for Tennessee, and fans should have seen this coming even after his strong start.
The Antioch, California native is undeniably a good football player, but was not properly equipped to make the jump to the SEC from a Sun Belt Conference school like Appalachian State.
In fairness to Aguilar, I would venture to say that few Sun Belt quarterbacks are.
Facing off against Georgia and Alabama is a stark contrast to competing against the likes of Coastal Carolina and Georgia Southern.
“In the SEC, you’re playing against really good competition,” Tennessee Head Coach Josh Heupel said. “They’re going to try you.”
Tennessee needs a quarterback to shape the offense’s identity, not vice versa. For years, volunteer signal-callers have been constricted by a conservative playsheet.
Though Coach Heupel has a multitude of schematic shortcomings, even his most avid critics would concede that he has built a player-friendly culture on Rocky Top, and Tennessee has become an attractive destination for the nation’s top talent since he took the helm.
“If [you’re wearing] that orange, you’re family,” DeSean Bishop said, attesting to the culture that Heupel has manufactured. “This group of men loves playing [together].”
Interestingly enough, however, Rocky Top has not seen an elite talent at quarterback since Peyton Manning (with the possible exception of Hendon Hooker).
I would argue that, in contrast to Manning’s era, the top quarterbacks in today’s NCAA are not only elite passers but also possess the ability to make incredible plays outside of the pocket.
Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray come to mind when thinking about quarterbacks who used their diverse skillset to transform their respective programs.
The one thing Jackson and Murray had in common was their ability to escape the pocket at just the right moment. Jackson’s seemingly impossible scrambles kept an otherwise unimpressive Louisville team relevant throughout his three-year stint with the Cardinals.
Murray’s similar efforts propelled his Oklahoma Sooners to the College Football Playoff, and also won him a Heisman trophy.
Their ability to improvise forced opposing defenses to dedicate a linebacker to protecting against the quarterback scramble, unlocking a lethal offensive playsheet packed with deep shots and read options.
As a more recent example, an Oklahoma team that won just six games in 2024 is now 8-2 after poaching John Mateer from Washington State. Mateer also managed to leave Tuscaloosa tonight with a win, a feat that only two other quarterbacks have accomplished since 2020.
Though Tennessee does have work to do on the defensive side of the ball if they are serious about competing for a national championship anytime soon, a dual-threat quarterback would undoubtedly transform their offense into one of the nation’s most feared.
Tennessee has the supporting talent necessary for a quarterback to be successful. DeSean Bishop, Mike Matthews, and Braylon Staley highlight a list of underclassmen who will likely return to the Volunteer offense next season.
All that’s left for Tennessee to do is find an elite quarterback. And unfortunately for the Volunteers, history would suggest doing so is far easier said than done.