Coach Josh Heupel said the Tennessee football team plans to add a quarterback from the transfer portal after the Music City Bowl unless Joey Aguilar comes through the field and earns an extra season of eligibility.
If there are only two scholarship quarterbacks on the 2026 roster, Heupel may have no choice.
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“Unless we can sign Philip Rivers to a free agent contract,” Heupel joked on Dec. 18 about the 44-year-old NFL quarterback who had just returned. “We’ve had this happen over the years where you have to play third (quarterback). So you don’t want to do that, but it’s happened before.”
The question is whether the Vols will look to find a starter who has already emerged in the portal or an unproven option who could compete with youngsters George McIntyre and Faison Brandon for the starting job in 2026. Heupel did not reveal his opinion on the matter.
Hueppel tried to address the delicate and polarizing topic of Tennessee’s 2026 quarterback situation in his final press conference before the short Christmas break.
No. 23 Tennessee (8-4) will face Illinois (8-4) in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30 (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) in Nashville. The Vols are practicing on campus and will move to the bowl game site on Dec. 26.
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But with the transfer portal opening on Jan. 2, many of the questions Heupel faces have to do with his plans for the 2026 season at quarterback.
“There are some moving parts,” Huepel said. “When we finish (the bowl) and get into the portal, with everything that’s happened with Joey and those pieces, we’re going to look to put (the quarterback) in a position to help us compete for a championship.”
Why Tennessee must add a quarterback from the transfer portal
Hueppel acknowledged that UT must add a third quarterback, regardless of whether that player is likely to start immediately.
Aguilar, a 2025 starter, has exhausted his eligibility unless Diego Pavia sues to challenge the NCAA’s eligibility rules for former junior college players. Substitute Jack Merklinger is scheduled to enter the transfer portal.
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“Jake made the choice he felt was right for him, and we support him,” Huepel said. “Jake has been a great teammate while growing up and competing here.”
McIntyre and Brandon are the only players left on the projected 2026 depth chart. The Vols need at least three scholarship quarterbacks on their roster, so unless Aguilar’s situation changes, they will likely add one from the portal. Hueppel said he would be honest with McIntyre and Brandon once the dust settles on his quarterback plans.
“In today’s environment, you have to be honest so your players can trust you consistently,” Huepel said. “Ultimately, everyone has easy access to information. It’s important to be transparent and open in these communication channels.”
Does Tennessee still want Joey Aguilar back?
Aguilar still has a glimmer of hope of qualifying for an extra season. But the Pavia lawsuit isn’t final yet, and UT can’t wait too long.
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Hueper said he has not set a deadline to give up hope of Aguilar returning. But don’t worry, UT is ready to move on.
UT’s football coaches and scouting staff are evaluating quarterbacks interested in entering the portal, and there will be plenty of high-priced options. These football staff are working with UT’s NIL Operations Office and third-party NIL supporters to manage the budget.
After all, UT also has multiple portal needs on defense in order to give new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles the players he needs to succeed.
Josh Heupel on George McIntyre
McIntyre will serve as Aguilar’s backup in the Music City Bowl after Merklinger opted out of the portal. Hueppel said the young quarterback continues to develop.
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“(McIntyre has shown) continued growth and understanding of something as simple as picking up signals and being able to communicate,” Huepel said. “His command (and) decision-making of what we’re doing (has improved). He’s also very bowl-ready here.”
Tennessee’s interest in the transfer market doesn’t detract from the value of McIntyre and Brandon. Coaches believe they both have the potential to start early in their careers. But there’s no guarantee they’ll be immediately ready to fill the role in 2026, making for a difficult decision.
McIntyre is a former Brentwood Academy standout and a four-star recruit in the class of 2025. He played in just two games as a freshman, completing 7 of 9 passes for 69 yards.
Brandon is a five-star signee and is rated the No. 3 quarterback in the 2026 class by the 247Sports Composite. But he has yet to play in college. He will enroll in January and participate in spring training.
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Heupel admits difficulties with quarterback situation
There is only one portal window under the new college football calendar. So if McIntyre and Brandon aren’t ready to start, UT won’t get a second chance to add a transfer quarterback in the spring.
But if UT adds a transfer quarterback, especially one with multiple years of eligibility, it could create a conflict among the returning quarterbacks.
Hueppel acknowledged the stress of the situation.
“It’s really hard. December used to be one of the best months in college football. With the current situation, I wouldn’t call it that,” Hueppel said. “You’re going through a lot of different parts at once. It’s still the greatest game. It’s just different than it was before.
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“But I’m not going to sit here and complain about it. That’s the way it is.”
Adam Sparks is a Tennessee football reporter. e-mail adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@adamsparks. Support strong local journalism with a subscription knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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This article originally appeared in the Knoxville News-Sentinel: Josh Heupel on Tennessee football QB transfer portal search
