KANSAS

Week Two Jayhawk Spotlight: Jereme Robinson and Austin Booker

After the big win against Illinois, we spotlight two key Kansas defensive linemen.

Derek Noll

Week Two Jayhawk Spotlight: Jereme Robinson and Austin Booker
Week Two Jayhawk Spotlight: Jereme Robinson and Austin Booker /
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Every week, you’ll see a strong performer from the previous week of Kansas football spotlighted in this space, and just like last week when we featured two defensive Jayhawks, we give you a double dose of defensive stalwarts. A lot of the mid week defensive focus will be on Kwinton Lassiter and Mello Dotson’s interceptions, so we’ll take a bit of a left turn with our choice of spotlighted Jayhawks.

In the big 34-23 win over Illinois in front of a blacked out student section and a hyped David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, the defense shined again. In the first half, the defense made stifling plays and drive ending plays that really seemed to deflate the Illinois confidence. In the second half, the defense used big plays to get the job done and shut down the Fighting Illini for good. Two major contributors were defensive linemen: Jereme Robinson and Austin Booker.

The defensive line was an area that Kansas knew they’d have to improve from the 2022 season. If 2023 is any indication, the unit has a chip on its shoulder and is looking to turn the corner.

Against Illinois, the defensive line excelled, but maybe their hype man had something to do with it. After KU’s win against Missouri State in week one, linebacker Rich Miller had nothing but praise for the Jayhawk defensive line:

"I saw those guys causing a lot of havoc. I saw them being unblocked in the run game. They were big in the run game. They helped us so much at linebacker. Just taking up gaps and depleting people, just getting people out of there. I think they did a great job. They always come in and they’re always ready. Always have their hair on fire. If they get tired, they get rotated, so we got another group coming in, so let’s do it."

Maybe the Miller hype worked. After week two, and a huge bump in opponent talent level in Big 10 team Illinois, the defensive line now has some gloss to add to their resumé. Two men in particular with heady stat lines are Robinson and Booker.

Jereme Robinson, a junior from Montgomery, Alabama started the D-line festivities off in the second quarter. With 10:37 to go in the half, Robinson broke through the Illini front line to wrap his arms around Illinois QB Luke Altmeyer for the team’s second sack of the day (Patrick Joyner, Jr. had the first).

Austin Booker got in on the fun early in the third quarter, sacking the quarterback on the first Illini drive of the half, one that resulted in a punt. Unfortunately, Kansas fumbled on the very next possession so the hard work for the defense would resume quicker than it would have liked.

Booker, the six foot six, 245 pounder from Greenwood, Indiana then had what looked like a game ending sack late in the third quarter. He broke free and sacked Altmeyer for a loss of seven and set up a third and eighteen situation for a desperate Illini. Unfortunately, the next play was the only big play of the game for the visitors from Champagne, Altmeyer’s 72 yard TD scamper to make it 34-15 Kansas.

Early in the fourth quarter, Robinson got back in on the sack action. He dropped Altmeyer and it looked like the Illini were going to be in some trouble. Altmeyer again got out of a third and deep situation to extend the drive, and despite the fact that Illinois scored to cut the lead to 11, the KU defensive line made its mark on the game, and hopefully the season going forward. The D-line recorded five of KU’s six sacks (JB Brown had the other) and stifled a respected Illinois running game to just 67 yards on 27 attempts if you take away Altmeyer’s impressive 72 yard TD scramble.

If Kansas keeps getting this type of play from its defensive line and linebacking crew, in addition to the playmakers it has at corner and safety, the Kansas defense can more than hold its own and share the spotlight with the high flying Jayhawk offense.

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Derek Noll
DEREK NOLL

An avid Jayhawks fan his entire life, Derek graduated from the University of Kansas in 1999 and has been writing about the Jayhawks since 2014, getting his start at Rock Chalk Talk.  He specializes in uniform analysis for basketball and football and offers a humorous take on player performances through Player Ratings posts.

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