Kwakou means "male child born on Wednesday," and Kwakou Robinson was indeed born on Wednesday, July 13, 1983. Robinson is more than a pretty name, however, and as one of the Virginia football team's outstanding true freshmen, he has proved to be much more.
Standing a towering 6 feet 4 inches tall and an imposing 322 pounds, "Kwake" Robinson, a Brooklyn native, is not the prototypical first-year student. He is, to be sure, exactly the type of huge defensive end coach Al Groh wants in his 3-4 defensive scheme.
Robinson is another member of Groh's exciting first recruiting class, and comes with many accolades. Robinson was the Gatorade Player of the Year in New York last year, and was the 18th best defensive line recruit in the nation according to ESPN's high school recruiting guru Tom Lemming.
In his senior year at Poly Prep Country Day School in New York, Robinson recorded 56 tackles, five sacks and four interceptions. As a junior he racked up 13 sacks.
Playing college football has proved much more difficult for Robinson, but he continues to learn from his mistakes.
"The way I play, I feel you grow up more from being in there," Robinson said. "I feel better about my performance, my coaches feel better about my performance. You can see a difference in the way I'm running to the ball. I'm faster."
Robinson's quickness is reflective of the entire recruiting class, whose speed has added a new dimension to the Cavaliers.
"They were forced to bear down really fast," Groh said of his freshman class. "I think they've made an impact on the team. These guys have brought some size and some speed which has been beneficial to our team."
Robinson's size and speed aren't the only impressive aspects of him and his fellow freshmen.
"I see a maturity in us wanting to play more, wanting to practice more," Robinson said of himself and his young teammates. "We want to help the team win."
Groh has seen Robinson's maturity not only in his willingness to listen, but also to implement new plays in game situations.
"This is a kid who's been very responsive to coaching," Grohsaid. "He's trying to do things in games that have been pointed out to him."
Robinson is indeed improving and making an impact despite his youth. Through three games he ranks fifth in tackles with 15 and has had two tackles for loss, costing opposing teams a total of 23 yards.
"I feel I can compete at this level. I feel better," he said. "After Florida State, I was a little weary, I think everybody was a little shell-shocked."
Robinson has spent more consistent time on the field than many of his freshmen teammates, such as running backs Wali Lundy and Michael Johnson who not only split time with each other, but also with sophomores Alvin Pearman and Marquis Weeks. The physical play up front has taken its toll on Robinson's body.
"It almost feels like the end of a high school season, body-wise," he said. But now, "we have a fresh rotation coming into the game with Chris [Canty] back."
The insertion of Canty back into the lineup against South Carolina has given the defensive front a new energy. The play of the three down linemen was essential to the Cavaliers' first victory of the season, and Robinson will help anchor that line in the years to come.
Read More
Volleyball falls to No. 15 Miami on the road, leaving Florida winless
By Lauren Halak | 1 hours agoWhile Virginia is showing promise in individual sets, it is still struggling to string together multiple sets.
No. 1 men’s golf easily clinches Golf Club of Georgia Invitational, firing on all cylinders
By Sofie Keppler | 7 hours agoVirginia dominated the whole way in a large field.
No. 3 Virginia blanks Pittsburgh 2-0 on Senior Day
By David Sewall | 7 hours ago“On the run we’ve had, it was nice to get back, get a win and stabilize ourselves a bit as we prepare for our last home game,” Swanson said.
