Can you believe college academics is getting in the way of college athletics?

That wasn’t supposed to happen in this new era of everything goes. NCAA eligibility was thought to be incidental. Money is what matters.

Joey Aguilar, 6-3, 220, Tennessee quarterback-to-be, is approaching his fifth year as a student-athlete, experienced in 41 college football games, some at Diablo Valley Community College, more at Appalachian State. That is the good part.

The bad part is he is trapped between a scholastic rock and a hard place. He is said to be in the bustling village of Westwood, enrolled at UCLA. In his spare time, he is taking online classes to finish communications degree requirements in Boone, North Carolina. That could be the escape hatch.

Buried in NCAA rules not yet overturned by the courts are requirements to ensure that transferring athletes meet specific academic benchmarks.

To be immediately eligible after a move, student-athletes must have left their previous school while eligible and in good standing (no IOUs or parking tickets), in compliance with credit-hour rules, meeting progress-toward-degree requirements and otherwise upholding academic integrity.

We fear that means Joey cannot meet roll-call for his psychology class, wave goodbye, exit right and catch a flight to his new home.

“NCAA members continue to prioritize long-term academic success for college athletes who transfer, while supporting their opportunity to compete immediately,” said Lynda Tealer, deputy athletics director at Florida and chair of the NCAA council on going to school.

The current quarter at UCLA runs until June. Exams are June 9-13. UT coaches have said they hope to have Joey on the UT campus for workouts by late May. That can only mean the Vols are looking for a shortcut. Could be UCLA will approve online classes.

Aguilar needs to be in Knoxville now. He has a long way to go and a short time to get there. He has some serious catching-up to do just to compete with second-year Vol Jake Merklinger and freshman George MacIntyre for the keys to the kingdom, the starting job.

Merklinger, a talented four-star quarterback, is miles behind Aguilar in experience but 15 months ahead in Josh Heupel’s offense.

Heupel says nothing is promised. Heupel says he likes what he already has. Yes, the coach also likes the potential he sees in Joey. He might be able to pilot the up-tempo offense Hendon Hooker ran in 2022. Wouldn’t that be something!

Observers say Aguilar is a tough dude who can run and throw effectively. He’s got a quick release and a live arm. He has been there and done that … well, not exactly. His first play at Appy State, against Gardner-Webb, before 36,000 fans, was a touchdown pass.

Aguilar threw four that day. The arena got noisy with chants of “Joey! Joey! Joey!”

Game 2 was at Chapel Hill against then No. 17 North Carolina. Joey and the Mountaineers pushed the Tar Heels to double overtime, but came up six points short.

We’ll talk later about what happened after that. For now, be reminded that Joey Aguilar won Sun Belt Conference honors and UCLA paid him to move back to the west bank as potential starter. He was No. 1 at the start of Bruins’ spring practice.

While waiting to join the Vols, Joey can memorize the playbook and watch video of all the routes receivers are supposed to run. I suppose he can later learn strengths and weaknesses of teammates and earn enough respect to become a leader. There is a long list of adjustments for newcomers to be competitive.

We’ll all know by mid-August who is the quarterback. This is unsettling.

Heupel has shown he can win with any QB model, new or used, dual threat or pocket passer. It helps if the chosen one can throw accurately on the move.

The coach does best (the offense works best) with quarterbacks who can correctly read the field, make quick decisions and deliver a catchable pass in a favorable direction. Joe Milton had a terrific arm but was not great at any of that other stuff. Nico was sometimes yes, sometimes no, depending on the opposition, but always promising – except when sacked.

This is my third time to say this: He was never worth $4 million. That the Vols wouldn’t meet his dad’s demands is why he is gone. Dad talk about correcting offensive deficiencies was a fine idea – if it started with Nico’s.

The ideal Heupel offense, if I am remembering correctly, stretched the field, ran at hyper-speed and set records. It was supposedly an adjusted offshoot of what Art Briles created at Baylor and of Mike Leach’s “Air Raid” that Josh learned at Oklahoma in 1999. The passing game was always linked to a good running attack – just in case.

In 2023 and 2024, the smart coach of the Vols slowed the pace to mask Milton and Iamaleava limitations and accommodate what they could do best.

There is no proof that Aguilar or Merklinger could challenge the speed of light but the possibility creates a spark of excitement – maybe enough to offset the current confusion.

Free advice: Four months out from the Syracuse game, be thinking 8-4 for the season record. This is subject to change – after we see Aguilar.

Marvin West welcomes comments or questions from readers. His address is marvinwest75@gmail.com