Joey Aguilar paused at the end of his first Vol Walk outside of Neyland Stadium, greeting his mother, Lydia , with a hug.
Then the Tennessee football quarterback met his 82-year-old grandmother's outstretched arms. She wore a bright orange poncho with white T's all over it to shield her from the rain falling lightly before the Vols' home opener Sept. 6.
Joey Aguilar's grandmother, who the family calls "mother," grabbed the senior transfer's face with both hands, planting a kiss on his cheek before she wrapped him in a hug.
"She's always been around Joey since he was born, so her and Joey are really close," Lydia Aguilar told Knox News. "I'm not his number one fan, she is – and Joey knows that, and he appreciates having her here. So that was really big, and it was great to see."
The three hours of rain leading up to kickoff didn't deter Tennessee fans, who lined the streets for the Vols' trek into Neyland Stadium. And his family from Antioch, California.
"Man, these people go hard for this team, and I just love it," Lydia Aguilar said. "I'm just soaking it all in. It's just great to see the passion that they have for their team and for Tennessee. I just love it, it's just great."
A smile crept across Joey Aguilar's face the moment his mother and grandmother were mentioned during postgame interviews.
"I wish I could show you guys the videos my siblings send me of her at home," Joey Aguilar said of his grandmother. "She's screaming at the TV at penalties and things like that. She's just a bundle of joy, and I'm super grateful to have her as my supporter and super glad she got here to experience it in person."
There were 12 family members from California, including his mother and grandmother, and eight more from "out this way" in total sitting front and center in the north end zone for Joey Aguilar's first game at Neyland Stadium.
He put on a show for his family, finishing with 288 yards and two touchdowns, completing 23 of his 31 attempts with no interceptions. Aguilar's day was over at halftime as the No. 17 Vols crushed ETSU 72-17.
The family was on their feet the entire first drive of the game until Joey Aguilar ended it with his first touchdown pass of the game, completing a 21-yarder to Chris Brazzell. His mother and grandmother were always the first ones on their feet to celebrate a touchdown or a great play.
When Joey Aguilar threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to Mike Matthews in the second quarter, his grandmother was on her feet in her No. 6 orange jersey. Her fists were raised as she yelled in celebration until the extra point was kicked through the uprights. She was crying happy tears by the time she sat down.
She had her hands clasped together any time Tennessee was within scoring distance.
Lydia Aguilar called the end-zone seats for the family "amazing." Before the game, she couldn't wait for everyone to take their own seats and hear the roars of a sold-out Neyland Stadium.
As her son's name was announced pregame, the fans erupted. And when Joey Aguilar ran through the "T" for the first time in his new home to the roars of the crowd she had been waiting for, she wiped away tears with a bright orange handkerchief, beaming with pride.
"It's awesome to have them be able to come out here," Joey Aguilar said. "Being able to go out there and just play football, knowing that it makes them happy ... brings a lot of joy and makes me super grateful to be out there."
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women's athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll ; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social . Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks: knoxnews.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Joey Aguilar: Tennessee football QB's grandmother, 82, sees home debut
