LEXINGTON — Justin Geisinger once was an All-SEC honoree on Vanderbilt's offensive line. So, as his alma mater prepares to make the short trip north to face Kentucky on Oct. 24, his rooting interests should be clear.
If only it were that simple.
Geisinger once was the head coach at Pope John Paul II in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Where he coached none other than Kenny Minchey. You know, the Wildcats' starting quarterback. The signal-caller who has led No. 12 UK to a 6-1 overall record and a share of first place in the SEC with a 4-1 mark.
So you can see Geisinger's predicament.
"It's tough. Obviously, I bleed black and gold, for sure, and what (Vandy head) coach (Clark) Lea has done there over the past several years, I believe in his process and everything he's doing," Geisinger told The Courier Journal in a phone interview Oct. 21. "Obviously they've had some struggles here of late. So this is going to be, I would say, a big test for them, to say the least."
Then there's the flip side.
"There's also a commitment I have to my guys and the guys I've been part of developing and part of their lives," he said. "Kenny's been a part of my life."
Minchey contacted Geisinger last week, seeing if his former coach would be able to attend the Kroger Field matchup in person. That's to be determined. Three days before the 7:30 p.m. kickoff Oct. 24, Geisinger said he's "trying to work out" logistics; he's still in the middle of the season with his current team, Franklin Road Academy, a private Christian school in Nashville. If no obstacles hinder him, Geisinger and other Franklin Road Academy coaches who once tutored Minchey at Pope John Paul II will be in the stands by the time the ball is teed up Saturday night in Lexington.
Just don't ask Geisinger about his wardrobe.
"I don't know if I'll be able to wear either (Kentucky or Vanderbilt) colors, just because I feel loyalties and support to both for different reasons — and Kenny knows that," he said. "We've talked about that and joked about that, too."
Throwing another element into the equation is that Lea isn't merely the Commodores' coach — he was Geisinger's teammate at Vandy.
"We graduated together at Vanderbilt," Geisinger said, "so obviously I have a tie to that program and to what he's doing."
But his bond with Minchey is every bit as strong. If not stronger.
"Kenny was my guy and he's been my guy — and he's still my guy," Geisinger said.
A sixth-round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, Geisinger admittedly "was earlier on in my head coaching career" when Minchey joined the program. Geisinger was still learning. As was Minchey.
A symbiotic relationship formed.
"We got to share a lot of vulnerable moments together and grow together," Geisinger said. "It's really, really exciting to see what he's doing."
All he's done is go five consecutive games without an interception. All he's done is complete 68.4% of his passes (141 for 206) for 1,552 yards and 13 touchdowns against just one pick. In doing so, he's been a driving force in propelling the Cats and first-year coach Will Stein to a start that has stunned the college football world.
Not Geisinger, though.
When he spoke with The Courier Journal before the 2026 season, he all but predicted it.
"No doubt in my mind that he's gonna make his mark," Geisinger said Aug. 26. "I think that'll show its face this year when people actually see him turn it loose a little bit. ... It'll be cool to see what he does.
"I've got a pretty good feeling about it."
Nearly two months later, Geisinger doesn't feel validation or vindication.
"Not really," he said. "I knew, like we talked about, he's always been built for this. He's always had the demeanor for it.
"It was just a matter of time."
Then, Geisinger offered up one more prognostication.
"Honestly," he said, "I think his best is still to come."
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kenny Minchey's HS coach is a Vanderbilt alum, but UK QB 'still my guy'