Wow. What a night. Let me collect my thoughts. Ok, here we go.
Monday night has mostly come and gone, and as a result, the Tennessee Volunteers apparently have a new quarterback. According to ESPN senior college football writer Chris Low, the Vols are getting UCLA Bruins (former App State) QB Joey Aguilar to replace Nico Iamaleava.
The QB trade is complete. Joey Aguilar plans to sign with Tennessee after transferring to UCLA from App. State in the winter portal, sources tell ESPN. He trades places with Nico Iamaleava, who transferred from Tennessee to UCLA in the current portal. Back to business as usual.
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) April 21, 2025
The deal that Joey Aguilar is finalizing to go to Tennessee is similar financially to the deal that he’d previously agreed to at UCLA, per ESPN sources. He had $1.2 million left at UCLA on his deal, and his new deal at Tennessee is close to that. pic.twitter.com/USNXmaDRdK
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 22, 2025
When you factor in taxes, it’s similar pay for Aguilar. He’d also already made more than $200,000 in his first few months at UCLA.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 22, 2025
As Pete Thamel notes, the Vols are getting quite the savings with Aguilar, roughly $1 million in 2025.
Aguilar comes to Knoxville with quite the resume at App State. In 25 games over two years, he completed 60.1% of his passes for 6760 yards, 56 touchdowns, and 24 interceptions. He also ran for 452 yards with 5 touchdowns. He brings experience to a QB room without any, with redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and true freshman George MacIntyre the only scholarship QBs on the roster.
Regardless of what happens in fall camp, competition is a good thing and will only make whoever wins the job better.
But that wasn’t all of the Monday night madness. Nico’s brother, Madden, is transferring from Arkansas. And he’s apparently joining Nico at UCLA, per Low. And yes, that was the school that he flipped FROM on signing day back in December to go to Arkansas.
Arkansas four-star true freshman quarterback Madden Iamaleava informed Arkansas today that he’s currently planning on entering the transfer portal, sources tell @CBSSports/@247Sports.
Iamaleava, the younger brother of new Nico Iamaleava, flipped to Arkansas from UCLA in December… pic.twitter.com/kSZPNEWdcb
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) April 21, 2025
Madden Iamaleava told Arkansas staff he plans to join his older brother at UCLA. https://t.co/fPdfpb8ltg
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) April 22, 2025
What a wild day. But these are the days of our lives in the college football transfer portal era.