Player Profile: Keith Loneker, Jr.
#47 Keith Loneker, Jr.
Position: Linebacker
Height: 6-2
Weight: 221
Class: Senior
Hometown: Lawrence, Kan.
High School: Free State HS
Previous School: Baker University
2017 (Jr.): Played and started all 12 games at linebacker ... Finished seventh on the team with 46 total stops, including 33 solo hits ... Produced 3.5 tackles-for-loss and 1.5 sacks ... Also had one pass breakup, one quarterback hurry and one forced fumble ... SEMO: Opened the season with two solo hits ... at Ohio: Had three tackles ... West Virginia: Collected two solo tackles and forced a fumble ... Texas Tech: Posted five tackles against the Red Raiders ... at Iowa State: Had two tackles ... at TCU: Collected two solos ... K-State: Tallied four solo hits against the Wildcats ... Also had 1.0 TFL ... Baylor: Had five tackles ... at Texas: Turned in a season-high 10 tackles, including seven solos ... Also had 1.5 sacks and 1.5 TFLs in the game ... Oklahoma: Posted six total tackles, including five of the solo variety ... at Oklahoma State: Collected five tackles and 1.0 TFL in the season finale.
2016: Notched two tackles, was credited with 0.5 tackles-for-loss and helped post KU’s first safety since 2012 against the Red Raiders … TCU: Contributed a then-career-high seven tackles – 0.5 for loss – and two pass breakups … at Oklahoma: Contributed two tackles … Iowa State: Totaled a then-career-high eight tackles against the Cyclones … Texas: Gathered a career-high 16 tackles in the victory over the Longhorns, highlighted by a fourth down stop of the Big 12 Conference’s leading rusher in the fourth quarter to give the Jayhawk offense a drive to tie the game … at K-State: Collected six stops against the Wildcats.
2015 (So.): Sat out the 2015 season due to NCAA transfer rules. 2014 (Fr. at Baker University): Earned Freshman All-America honors after leading the Wildcats with 90 tackles, 40 solo and 50 assisted, in his first season … Helped Baker and head coach Mike Grossner to a Heart of America Conference championship … Recorded a career-high 15 tackles and half a tackle-for-loss against Benedictine.
High School: Graduated from Free State HS as the school’s all-time leader for defensive points in a season, assisted tackles and single-game receiving yardage … Named a two-time All-Sunflower League Conference selection at linebacker and wide receiver in 2012 and 2013, taking home first-team honors at linebacker in 2013 … Also earned all-state honors at linebacker as a senior … Helped Free State to consecutive district championships and one Sunflower League Conference title … Played for head coach Bob Lisher … Selected to play in the 2014 Kansas Shrine Bowl and was the game’s Most Valuable Player … Also participated in the Kansas vs. Missouri All-Star Game … Lettered three years in basketball … Named Free State’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2014 and was a member of the National Honor Society.
Personal: Son Kelly Loneker and the late Keith Loneker … Father, Keith, was a First Team All-Big Eight Conference selection during his playing career at Kansas and played professionally for the Los Angeles Rams and Atlanta Falcons … Has one sister, Kylee, who played soccer at Fort Hays State University … Majoring in accounting … Had a part in the film “Underdogs” his junior year of high school.