Senior offensive tackle Justin Jeffries remembers the last time Louisiana-Monroe came to town. It was 2006, his freshman year and the middle of the Cats’ first bowl-bound season in the Rich Brooks era.

The Warhawks held the lead after three quarters, and only a late rally and three touchdown receptions by Keenan Burton saved the Cats from being upset. UK won 42-40.

“That was a real surprise, seeing them come in and play us like they did,” Jeffries said. “That kind of wakes us up a little bit.”

Louisiana-Monroe (4-2, 3-0 Sun Belt Conference) enters the game as a potential spoiler with another solid team. Its two losses have come to Texas and Arizona State, and the Warhawks scored 34 points in those games.

“They’ve played two top-ranked teams like that and they’ve put up some points on them so that can’t be taken lightly,” junior offensive tackle Brad Durham said. “We have to come in with our heads right and go focus out in practice this week and take on the best.”

Coming off an emotional road win last weekend and with a Southeastern Conference contest the weekend after, Louisiana-Monroe again meets the prerequisites for a trap game.

Senior linebacker Micah Johnson, also a freshman in 2006, doesn’t seem to be too worried about Saturday’s game. He’s got his sights set on bigger things.

“We think it’s within our grasp, within our reach, to win out,” Johnson said. “That’s our goal.”

Johnson was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week after racking up 14 tackles last week against Auburn, one shy of his career high. He is the third UK player to earn the honor this season.

Freshman quarterback Morgan Newton will likely start his second consecutive game this weekend, Brooks said, though junior quarterback Will Fidler will also play.

“We all know what type of team they are,” Brooks said. “They are an extremely well-coached team. As the old saying goes, ‘This is a real football game.’ “

Offensive Line Shining

Despite injuries to two of their top reserves and one starter missing time with another nagging injury, UK’s offensive line has continued to pave the way for UK’s offense. The line has given up six sacks at this point in the season and blocked for 282 rushing yards against Auburn on Saturday.

“There have been instances on the field where (defensive lines) come up to us and said ‘Man, you guys are the toughest guys we’ve faced so far and you guys are really coming after us and you don’t stop,’ ” Durham said.

Success is nothing new for the offensive line. In 2008, UK’s offensive line ranked fourth nationally with 13 sacks allowed, and ranked eighth nationally in tackles for loss allowed per game.

Four of five starters on the offensive line are Kentucky natives, and the line also returned four players with at least a full season of starting experience this year.

Brooks touted the line before the season began and continued to heap compliments on them even as UK was mired in a three-game losing streak. He’s still pleased with the way they’ve played, but isn’t sure if he wants to keep giving them so much credit.

“Usually, when you start praising your O-line, for some reason in my past experience, they don’t play as well,” Brooks said. “I praised them last week in a loss and obviously they’re getting the lion’s share of the recognition – which they deserve. I just have to hope that they understand how they got to where they are and don’t get fat-headed.”