Story by
Joey Aguilar eligibility hearing recap, Tennessee QB vs NCAA
- Story by
- Joey Aguilar eligibility hearing recap, Tennessee QB vs NCAA
Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar 's preliminary injunction hearing in Knox County Chancery Court concluded after two hours on Feb. 13 with no decision.
Chancellor Chris Heagerty said he will issue a ruling in "very short order." Court is closed for the weekend and President's Day on Feb. 16, so an order could come soon after that.
Advertisement
If the injunction is granted, it opens the door to Aguilar playing for the Vols in the 2026 season , which begins in September. Only a speedy and successful appeal by the NCAA would reverse the order, and those odds would be in Aguilar's favor.
If the injunction is denied, it would all but close the door to Aguilar playing for the Vols. He also could appeal the ruling or simply start preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft and try to extend his football career in the professional ranks.
Aguilar sued the NCAA over its eligibility rules regarding former junior college players. The 24-year-old is seeking to regain his NCAA eligibility so he can play one more season at UT.
Here's a recap of what happened at the hearing and what you need to know about the case.
Advertisement
Why NCAA attorney said 'I love Tennessee football'
NCAA attorney Taylor Askew , a Knoxville native and UT law school grad, said he's a Vols fan. And he praised Aguilar despite opposing him in this case.
"I love Tennessee football. My kids watching (Aguilar) play," Askew said. "But Tennessee is better than this. We don't have to go to court to get our guy back (on the field). We don't do that in Tennessee. He is a hero in Tennessee. We didn't know who he was until Nico left.
"... We can make that decision without taking anything away from Mr. Aguilar. You're a hero to kids around this city. But it doesn't mean we break the rules. It doesn't mean the Vols get something everybody else doesn't."
Advertisement
Judge says he's proud that Joey Aguilar plays for Tennessee
The hearing started with an interesting series of exchanges between Aguilar's attorney, Cam Norris and Chancellor Chris Heagerty , the judge in this case. Heagerty interrogated nearly every argument by Aguilar's attorney while at the same time complimenting Aguilar as a player.
"This young man, (I am) very proud of him being able to wear orange," Heagerty, a two-time UT graduate, said about Aguilar. "... (Aguilar) provides a service, a very good one by the way."
While acknowledging Aguilar's precarious position, Heagerty said, "I understand that (Aguilar) is between a rock and a hard place (in this case). It's a hard decision. I wouldn't want to make it, but I don't have a thunderbolt in my shoulder."
Advertisement
Judge uses whiskey to make his point about NIL
Chancellor Chris Heagerty said he used to be a whiskey salesman and often thinks in terms of whiskey sales.
Aguilar asking him to make a decision now in an ever-changing NIL market is like asking a whiskey salesman on the last day of prohibition how much vodka they are going to make selling vodka.
"I don't know," he said. "We haven't sold vodka in eight years."
According to his complaint in the lawsuit, UT has a spot available on the 2026 roster for Aguilar, as well as access to " approximately $2 million " in NIL money for the quarterback. But the NIL market changes on a daily basis.
Advertisement
What is Joey Aguilar's age? Younger than Josh Heupel rival
Aguilar is 24 years old. His birthday is June 16, 2001. That means he will be 25 when next football season begins.
Aguilar's age isn't directly relevant to the legal argument in his lawsuit. But it plays a part in public opinion because some fans think players in their mid-20s are too old to play college football.
Aguilar's attorney reminded the court that the NCAA doesn't have an age limit on competing. And he did in a unique way, referencing when UT coach Josh Heupel finished as the 2000 Heisman Trophy runner-up.
"This isn't about the age of the player. Chris Weinke was 28 years old when he beat Josh Heupel for the Heisman," Aguilar's attorney, Cam Norris, said.
Advertisement
Older players have become more common in college football because lucrative NIL contracts are available to them. Some pay more than their projected NFL deals, which is likely the case for Aguilar. He is a successful college quarterback but not a premier NFL prospect.
Accusation by NCAA attorneys: 'This Court bleeds orange'
NCAA attorneys made a strong accusation of favoritism before Aguilar's hearing even began, calling into question the court's potential bias in a Knoxville court located just a few miles from the University of Tennessee.
In a Feb. 12 court filing, the attorneys for the NCAA chided Aguilar for "forum shopping," leaving the Pavia case in U.S. District Court for the confines of Knox County Chancery Court.
Advertisement
"While his claim remains evidentiarily lacking, Plaintiff (Aguilar) here is betting that in a contest between the Court's allegiance to the University of Tennessee football and the law, this Court bleeds orange," the NCAA attorneys wrote in response to a temporary restraining order issued by Chancellor Chris Heagerty in the case.
NCAA argues that college athletes could play for 18 years
In a court filing before the hearing, NCAA attorneys argued that if Aguilar is granted eligibility, it could open Pandora's box. They said that college athletes could play for decades.
"If taken to its logical conclusion, Plaintiff's (Aguilar) position would permit student athletes to compete in, at minimum, eighteen seasons of intercollegiate competition : two seasons of JUCO competition, four seasons in Division III competition, four seasons in Division II competition, four seasons of NAIA competition, only then to matriculate to a DI member institution at roughly the age of thirty-two with a fresh four-season clock," the NCAA court filing said.
Advertisement
Joey Aguilar arrives at Knoxville courthouse
Aguilar arrived at Knox County Chancery Court at least an hour ahead of his hearing. He met with his attorneys, led by Knoxville native Cam Norris, in a conference room across the hallway from where his college football eligibility will be determined.
NCAA attorneys, led by UT law school grad Taylor Askew , arrived around the same time. One day earlier, they left Pittsboro, Mississippi, before the judge ruled in the eligibility case of Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss . The judge there chastised them and threatened to find them in contempt of court.
When, where is Joey Aguilar injunction hearing?
The hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET on Feb. 13 in Knox County Chancery Court.
Advertisement
It's a small courtroom that'll probably be filled with media members covering the hearing. Aguilar will attend. The judge has granted limited TV cameras and photography in the room, including Knox News.
Chancellor Chris Heagerty will review affidavits, consider arguments from both attorneys and possibly hear expert testimony. The hearing could take less than an hour or all afternoon.
Heagerty has the option to make a bench ruling at the end of the hearing, but it's more likely that he issues an order hours or days later.
Watch the Aguilar vs. NCAA hearing live
Joey Aguilar 's preliminary injunction hearing is happening at 1:30 p.m. ET in Knox County Chancery Court today as he attempts to regain his NCAA eligibility and play for the Vols in the 2026 season.
Advertisement
Watch live below or tap here to see the video when it's live .
Who is the judge overseeing Joey Aguilar hearing?
Heagerty, a well-respected chancellor since 2021, will preside over the hearing .
He received his bachelor's and law degrees from University of Tennessee. He began teaching as an adjunct professor at the school's Winston College of Law in the fall.
All three Knox County chancellors have degrees from UT. Cases are assigned to chancellors. They do not select what cases they will hear.
Tennessee judges who serve in chancery courts are called chancellors. They largely handle items related to contract and property boundary disputes, divorces, adoptions and trusts.
Advertisement
Knox News could not determine whether Heagerty is a UT donor or season-ticket holder. Donations to state universities are not a public record in Tennessee after a significant and successful effort by UT to change state law to shield donors. An athletics department spokesman said UT does not disclose any information about season-ticket holders, including their identities.
Why Joey Aguilar sued NCAA over eligibility rules
The NCAA allows players to compete for four seasons within five years. And it counts junior college seasons toward that total and time period even though junior colleges are not part of the NCAA.
Advertisement
Aguilar argued that junior college competition shouldn't factor into NCAA seasons of eligibility or an athlete's eligibility clock because junior colleges are not part of the NCAA. Under that interpretation, Aguilar has played three NCAA seasons in three years, so he'd have one season remaining.
In 2019, Aguilar redshirted at City College of San Francisco. In 2020, the COVID pandemic canceled his junior college season there. In 2021-22, he played two junior college seasons at Diablo Valley College.
Then Aguilar's NCAA career began. In 2023-24, he played at Appalachian State. He transferred to UCLA for spring 2025, and then he transferred to Tennessee in an essential quarterback swap involving Nico Iamaleava .
Aguilar is seeking to play the 2026 season as his final season of NCAA eligibility.
Advertisement
What happens if Joey Aguilar wins or loses injunction?
Heagerty's language was favorable to Aguilar in a 15-day restraining order against NCAA eligibility rules, but that was only a temporary measure.
If the injunction is granted, it opens the door to Aguilar playing for the Vols in the 2026 season , which begins in September. Only a speedy and successful appeal by the NCAA would reverse the order, and those odds would be in Aguilar's favor.
If the injunction is denied, it would all but close the door to Aguilar playing for the Vols. He also could appeal the ruling or simply start preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft and try to extend his football career in the professional ranks.
Advertisement
Joey Aguilar attorney previously beat NCAA in court
Aguilar's attorney, Cam Norris , practices law for the Consovoy McCarthy firm in Arlington, Virginia, but he lives in Knoxville. He graduated from Vanderbilt Law School.
In 2024, Norris successfully argued on behalf of the Tennessee attorney general's office in UT's defense against an NCAA probe over NIL rules and its recruitment of quarterback Iamaleava . In that case, the state of Tennessee argued the NCAA rules regarding NIL benefits violated antitrust laws.
Norris' argument was effective. A federal judge suspended NCAA rules regarding NIL benefits for athletes, and the NCAA dropped its investigation into UT and Iamaleava.
Advertisement
NCAA attorney is UT grad who played college football
NCAA attorney Taylor Askew , a UT law school graduate, grew up in Knoxville. He was a four-sport standout at Webb School and a multiyear starter on the Tennessee Tech football team as an offensive lineman.
Askew's college football playing experience came up during the hearing when the judge asked about the largest crowd he ever played in front of. "I gave up three sacks at Georgia," Askew said.
Heagerty asked if he'd love to go back and experience that again, but Askew joked, "I wouldn't want to go back to that day."
Advertisement
Askew works for Holland & Knight, a firm in Nashville, which has defended the NCAA in several lawsuits. He represented the NCAA against Charles Bediako , a G League basketball player who returned to Alabama and briefly played for the Crimson Tide. On Feb. 9, a judge in Tuscaloosa Circuit Court denied Bediako's request for a temporary injunction, making him ineligible.
Askew, as the NCAA's attorney, has opposed UT's interests in previous cases involving basketball player Zakai Zeigler , baseball player Alberto Osuna and Iamaleava. The NCAA was successful in denying eligibility to Zeigler and Osuna, but it failed in restricting Iamaleava's NIL rights.
Joey Aguilar NIL pay from Tennessee if he plays in 2026
Aguilar reenrolled at Tennessee , and he has been rehabbing after undergoing surgery on Jan. 2 to remove a benign tumor on his arm .
Advertisement
According to his complaint in the lawsuit, UT has a spot available on the 2026 roster for Aguilar, as well as access to " approximately $2 million " in NIL money for the quarterback.
The most coveted quarterbacks in the portal would've cost UT an estimated $3 million to $6 million. Aguilar, if eligible, would come at a relative discount.
According to his complaint, the 2025 season was the "first time that Aguilar earned significant money for playing football. From 2019 to 2023, he earned nothing. But in one season at Tennessee, Aguilar earned over $1 million."
Who are Tennessee's quarterbacks besides Aguilar?
Tennessee failed to land a premier starting quarterback in the transfer portal. Then coach Josh Heupel declared his support for Aguilar in a court brief.
Advertisement
If Aguilar is eligible, he'll remain UT's starting quarterback. He led the SEC with 3,565 passing yards in 2025, the third most in a single season in UT history.
If Aguilar is ineligible, redshirt freshman George MacIntyre , five-star freshman Faizon Brandon and Colorado transfer Ryan Staub will compete for the starting quarterback job in the 2026 season.
Tennessee starts spring practice on March 16.
How does Diego Pavia lawsuit impact Aguilar eligibility?
Aguilar was previously a plaintiff in the Diego Pavia federal lawsuit challenging the NCAA's eligibility rules for former junior college players. On Jan. 30, Aguilar separated from that case and filed his own lawsuit in state court.
Advertisement
There was a preliminary injunction hearing on Feb. 10 in Nashville, but there's been no ruling.
Pavia, who initially filed the lawsuit, will not return to college next season, even if his case is successful. He has declared for the 2026 NFL Draft. However, 25 additional players remain as plaintiffs.
If the Pavia case fails, Aguilar would not be bound by its ruling. Therefore, he could still be successful in state court. But if the Pavia injunction is denied, the NCAA also could be emboldened to fight harder in the Aguilar case.
If the Pavia case succeeds, Aguilar would not gain eligibility immediately because he's no longer a plaintiff. However, language of a preliminary injunction presumably would be broad enough for Pavia to file a federal action in the same court that would have the effect of a class action suit, applying to former junior college players with the same fact pattern as Pavia. That would include Aguilar.
Advertisement
Does Trinidad Chambliss win in court affect Aguilar?
On Feb. 12, Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss won a preliminary injunction against the NCAA in Calhoun County Circuit Court in Mississippi to regain his eligibility for the 2026 season. Chambliss, 23, sued the NCAA to prove that he should be granted a medical hardship waiver for his 2022 season at Ferris State.
At first glance, it seems like the Chambliss and Aguilar cases are connected. They're both SEC quarterbacks trying to regain their eligibility by suing the NCAA in a state court. But their cases are unrelated, and their arguments are very different.
At most, Aguilar could feel that momentum is on his side a day after another quarterback beat the NCAA in court.
Does Charles Bediako loss in court affect Aguilar?
Bediako, the former G League player, failed to get an injunction in a Tuscaloosa court. He is now ineligible to play for Alabama.
That may seem like the tide is turning in favor of the NCAA. Remember that Askew, the NCAA attorney in the Aguilar case, also represented the NCAA against Bediako.
But the two cases are very different. Bediako wanted to return to college after playing professionally. Aguilar has only played in college.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com . X, formerly known as Twitter @AdamSparks . Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe .
Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Joey Aguilar live updates, Tennessee vs NCAA eligibility hearing
