'I think that's his biggest challenge' - Peyton Manning details the message he shared with Vols QB Joey Aguilar before Syracuse game

Quarterback Joey Aguilar will make his first SEC start on Saturday when the Tennessee Vols open the 2025 season against the Syracuse Orange.

Aguilar, a former Appalachian State quarterback who transferred to Tennessee in April after going through spring practice at UCLA, won the starting job this fall over redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and true freshman George MacIntyre.

Before taking the field against Syracuse, Aguilar received some advice from a Volunteers legend -- Peyton Manning.

Manning joined The Mike Keith Show on Thursday and he detailed the message that he shared with Aguilar this week.

"My advice to Joey was don't try to do too much," said Manning. "Don't feel like you have to go and make some incredible throw in that first game against Syracuse, or during your first home game against ETSU, to justify that you've been named the starting quarterback.

"Go be Joey. Take the check down, run, throw it away. Nobody's going to criticize you for throwing it away on third down if nobody's open. I think that's easier said than done sometimes -- you can tell how mature he is being 24 years old -- [but] I think that's his biggest challenge. But I like the way he practices. You can tell the team kind of rallies around him. He's kind of earned their respect in a short period of time -- which is impressive. And the key is to just get better throughout the season as well."

That's certainly great advice from Peyton. And it's advice that Peyton lived by throughout his career -- the former Vol often points to throwing the ball away on a bad play instead of taking as a sack (or throwing an interception) as one of the most underrated winning plays that a quarterback can make.

We'll see on Saturday if Aguilar took Peyton's advice to heart.