Rating:

5.0 (1 vote)

It's no coincidence that when Mike Summers was the offensive line coach at Louisville, they not only beat UK all four times from 2003 through 2006, but they averaged 40 points a game. Louisville's offensive line, every year that Summers was there, owned UK in the trenches.

You wouldn't blame UK's new offensive line coach if he fought back a tear or two, or quietly became very emotional for a moment hours before the game on Saturday when he walked on Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.

"I think you are exactly right," says Summers.

"There were a lot of good memories that took place during my time at Louisville and a lot of victories and a lot of successes. Certainly, there will be a time for reflection for that for a brief moment and then we will get back on task. But, we really are excited about going to take this Wildcat team down there and trying to put on our best performance."

When you lose four starting offensive lineman, and three make it to NFL camps, and you are Kentucky, many might think that the expectations would be that the offensive could take a step back this season. There are two reasons that probably won't happen. One is the obvious, more than one of the starting lineman have told LEX 18 that this group is stronger and really hungry to prove themselves. The second reason is Mike Summers.

When Summers took over, the lineman were lost. It was like learning a new language. The players had to think about what they were doing. You can't play that way. With repetition, it's gotten a lot better.

"Well I've seen progress. What level that is, certainly we will know on Saturday. I've seen these guys grow together as a group. I've seen the relationships with each other strengthen and the respect that they have upfront with each other has gotten stronger. So, all of those things help in the cohesiveness of that group working as one. A group without experience like we have, needs to rely on each other to be able to work through some of the tough things they are going to have to do. I've seen that progress."

How good will this years Cats be?

"This is a team that is going to have a lot of excitement to it and they will be good. How good they will be will be determined how close they get as a group. I am starting to see them everyday grow closer and closer together. So, I'm excited about what it can be."

Lexington Christian Academy's Zach West is a big time recruit was is going to play for UK. A big key in West's decision to stay home and play for UK wasn't just Mike Summers the coach, but as West said, the Christian man that he is.

"First of all, I appreciate Zach saying that and recognizing that in me. I also feel like I'm here not only as a coach, but as the strongest male influence that a lot of these guys have, and I take that role very seriously and hopefully what I stand for and the things I believe in and the character I have is some influence on them. If that's true, I feel really good about what I'm doing."

How can True Blue fans not be excited to have Mike Summers added to Joker's staff?