Jalen Geiger named to Wuerffel Trophy Watch List

Jalen Geiger is a candidate for an award given to college football’s top community servant. On Thursday the Kentucky safety was selected to the Wuerffel Award Watch List.

Named after the 1996 Heisman Trophy-winner from Florida, the Wuerffel Trophy honors college football players who serve others, celebrate their positive impact on society and inspire greater service in the world. Linebacker Courtney Love was the recipient in 2017. Geiger has also been nominated to the Allstate Good Works Team.

The defensive back grew up in a military family, and that meant attending six different schools from K-12. Jalen Geiger knows what it’s like to be the new kid that’s left out by the rest of the class. That’s why in 2021, he found a mentorship opportunity at Liberty Elementary in Lexington. Geiger visited the school on several occasions, playing with the kids and talking to them about learning and trusting their teachers. He will continue that work in 2022 with plans to talk more to the kids about anti-bullying and being kind to one another.

“Everyone that has met Jalen is so very impressed with everything about him,” Liberty Elementary Child Guidance Specialist Bethany Dewsnap said. “He takes his role as a mentor seriously and encourages our students to be great. He talks to them about the importance of learning and taking advantage of the opportunities they are given, even when they have to work for it. When asked by the principal about working hard for Coach Stoops, he said he works hard because Coach Stoops believes in him and knows what he is capable of accomplishing. He related it back to trusting your teachers and working hard for them because they want you to be your best. Jalen is quiet in nature, but what he says really resonates with my students.”

Entering his fourth season in Lexington, Jalen Geiger has appeared in 22 games. Last year the safety earned a pair of starts. He, totaled 18 tackles, a tackle for loss, a quarterback hurry, a pass breakup and a pick six against Vanderbilt. Geiger is expected to fill in Yusuf Corker‘s shoes as the Cats’ free safety.