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Greg McElroy: 'I am not the biggest fan of Joey Aguilar, but I've liked what I've seen'

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey10/17/25GrantRamey
joey aguilar
Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar (6) during a college football game between Tennessee and Georgia at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sept. 13, 2025. (Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Greg McElroy will be on the call as the color analyst for ABC Saturday night when No. 6 Alabama hosts No. 11 Tennessee, alongside play-by-play man Sean McDonough in the booth at Bryant-Denny Stadium. But his analysis started earlier in the week on his morning radio show. 

And it started with both a slight and a compliment to new Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar. 

“I am not the biggest fan of Joey Aguilar,” McElroy said Wednesday on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning on WJOX in Birmingham, “but I’ve liked what I’ve seen.”

Aguilar, the UCLA and Appalachian State transfer, will get his first look at the Third Saturday in October rivalry in the 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time kickoff Saturday in Tuscaloosa.

“I think it’s a great game,” McElroy, the former Alabama quarterback, said. “I’m really looking forward to it.” 

Joey Aguilar through six games: 1,680 yards, 14 TDs, 5 INTs

Aguilar transferred to Tennessee in April and arrived in Knoxville in May, swapping spots with Nico Iamaleava, who transferred to UCLA.

The Oakley, Calif., native, spent the last two seasons making a name for himself at Appalachian State and transferred to UCLA in December, only to reenter the portal after the Bruins added Iamaleava. 

Aguilar has thrown for 1,680 yards with 14 touchdowns and five interceptions through his first six games at Tennessee. He’s completing 64.8% of his passes — 118-for-182 — with a long of 73 and a 162.3 rating in quarterback efficiency.

“I think he’s done a good enough job,” McElroy said. “He’s not a real threat as a runner, which does make things a little bit easier. Last year, Nico Iamaleava was always a threat to run, which is a problem. 

“However, Nico Iamaleava, not really ever a threat to hit anything downfield. So, if you get beat over the top, no problem.”

Aguilar quickly brought back the big-play threat to Tennessee with a 73-yard touchdown pass in Week 1 against Syracuse, a 53-yarder in Week 2 against ETSU and then touchdown passes of 56 and 72 yards against Georgia in Week 3.

He has been sacked three times, losing 18 yards and has ran 26 times for 117 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. 

Aguilar has been at his best in SEC play, throwing for 218 yards and three touchdowns against Georgia, 335 yards and a touchdown at Mississippi State and 221 yards and a touchdown against Arkansas. 

He had rushing touchdowns against Georgia and Mississippi State and a season-high 59 rush against Arkansas, including a 32-yard run on the game-sealing final possession. 

‘Who is the pass rusher that would scare me if I were Tennessee?

Tennessee leads all of college football in scoring offense, averaging 48.2 points per game, but the Vols have struggled defensively, ranked 16th in the SEC in scoring defense, 16th in pass defense 14th in total defense, and 10th in rush defense.

“If you want me to be honest, I think they (Alabama) match up pretty well,” McElroy said. “But I also think, Tennessee, if they get a beat in the alleys and they’re running in the alleys, which is where I would attack Bama, that’s when things can become real problematic. 

“I also don’t know, who is the pass rusher that would scare me if I were Tennessee? that I need to be aware of if I were Tennessee?”

Alabama is 10th in the SEC in sacks this season, with nine through six games. The Vols lead the league with 26.0 sacks. 

“I think Tennessee can probably sit back there and, if they want to get (tight end Miles) Kitselman out, by all means, go for it,” McElroy said. “If they want to get in their two-back stuff, where he’s kind of lined up in a wing-wing alignment, often inside, that’s fine, you can do it. That’s short-yardage stuff, you don’t really need to. It’s not like you need to help with protection.”