Tennessee football's offensive line will look a little bit different next season.

One of the spots is tackle after Gerald Mincey entered the transfer portal. He spent two seasons in Knoxville after beginning his career at Florida.

Now, Mincey will spend his final season of eligibility at Kentucky on the Vols' rival's offensive line.

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With his new squad, Mincey will return to Neyland Stadium one final time. This has been something he's looked forward to since arriving in Lexington.

While Tennessee and Kentucky are rivals, the Vols have owned the series with an 84-26-9 record. He admits the Wildcats need to earn it but he's comfortable in this position and is confident in his chances.

"Kentucky's got to do more to earn it," said Mincey. "I'm glad, I like the underdog. I love the underdog. So when we go there November 2nd to Neyland and we bust them in the mouth, we can put the standard back over here. I love being the underdog. I don't look at it as a rival, I just look at it as another game to go out there and get my job done."

Mincey has previously voiced his opinion on the return to Knoxville on Twitter. These tweets have found the Vols' fanbase and made its rounds.

"I'm a troll, I guess," said Mincey. "(Making a burner is) childish, if I'm going to say something, I'm going to use my main account. Obviously, that's what I've been doing. That's just a little fire to the fuel. Just getting work and knowing I have a target on my back that just makes me work even more harder. I gotta talk the talk and walk the walk."

The lineman said the reason he is now with a third team in his college career is partially due to family and partially due to a personal need for change.

"Really just a lot with my family to be honest with you," said Mincey. "The family and just me myself, I think it was just time for a change. I appreciate what Tennessee had allowed me to do in the two years that I did it, but I think it was just time for a change and really just my family."

While at Tennessee, Mincey began his career at left tackle but was pushed to the right side in 2023. This wasn't due to his own choice, though. He wanted to stay on the left side before the change was made.

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While making the switch, it did prove to himself that he can play both sides.

"That I could do a lot of I put my mind to it," said Mincey on what he learned from the change. "I never played right tackle. I didn't want to play right tackle but I chose the team before me. I worked at it all off-season just so I could be the best that I can."

While it isn't clear if Mincey will remain on the right side or switch back to the left, he will still have to undergo another change. Now, he will be learning a new system very different from Tennessee's offense.

"I don't have to run hurry-up no more so I won't be out of breath," said Mincey. "But I like this offense. It's getting me ready for the NFL. Using NFL terminology more in a pro-style offense. I can really show my versatility with outside zone, inside zone instead of just what we did at Tennessee which was insert and hurry-up offense, tempo offense."

The biggest difference so far for Mincey has been the off-season workouts.

"It's crazy. The workouts is crazy," said Mincey. " I'll tell you that now. I was like dang, I didn't know you guys worked out that hard but it shows they workout that hard. It's been real fun but man, I just can't wait for November 2nd."

Mincey will get his crack at the Vols on Nov. 2, 2024 in an attempt to give Kentucky its first win over Josh Heupel. It would be the Wildcats' second win on the road since 1984 after the Vols dropped the match during the Covid-shortened 2020 season.

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