On the field, Gabe Kirschke is the kind of guy whose motor never quits running. 

By all accounts, he gives 110% effort each and every play. Off the field, teammates and coaches say Kirschke is a man everyone loves to have around, someone who is positive in the locker room and similar to his on-the-field persona, a guy who almost never stops working.

“Almost” is the key qualifier there because he definitely stopped when he went head to head with Colorado State’s defensive line coach Chuka Ndulue in a taco-eating contest when Ndulue was recruiting Kirschke during his time at New Mexico State. 

Kirschke confirmed the loss but said there would definitely have to be a second contest because the first one came in the wake of a trip to Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, so he wasn’t quite at his best. 

“We went to dinner; we were both still real hungry,” Kirschke said. “But then he put easy work on the taco-eating contest. I had like six; he had, like, 12 or something like that. He took my plate, and he started eating them.”

Ndulue really wanted Kirschke to join the Aggies, even offering him a scholarship. Despite the offer from NMSU and several other Division I programs, Kirschke chose to go play for Wisconsin, where he received preferred walk-on status. 

Wisconsin has a reputation for developing walk-ons into NFL players, with some of them going on to become superstars. JJ Watt, Ryan Ramczyk and Joe Schobert are just a few. That was a big reason Kirschke wanted to go play for the Badgers.

“I really liked those coaches a lot, and I felt like they were going to respect me and I could earn that scholarship there,” Kirschke said. “I think them honoring those things … — they really wanted those walk-ons.”

In two seasons at Wisconsin, Kirschke only made an appearance in one game and recorded no statistics. So he jumped into the portal to pursue a different opportunity, and eventually CSU and the opportunity to come back home and play football presented itself. 

Kirschke played at Valor Christian High School alongside now-teammates Jack Howell and Tanner Morley. He also now gets to play in front of even more family and friends who weren’t able to make the trip to watch him play for the Badgers.

“A lot of my family and friends are here now too,” Kirschke said. “So it’s really cool. I had, like, 20 people who did a tailgate. It’s really cool to be able to see them after the games and have all that support. It means a lot.”

While Kirschke had all of those new opportunities to look forward to, Ndulue himself was chomping at the bit to finally get to coach Kirschke. 

Ndulue said that when the phone rang and he found out Kirschke would be a CSU Ram, it was nothing but special. 

“When you recruit a guy and he commits, it’s a special feeling because it’s like, ‘All right, the one we wanted — we got him,’” Ndulue said. “We always talk about, ‘The only time we change our standard is when we elevate it.’ And now it’s time for him to keep elevating his play every single day.”

That is something that Kirschke has done this season as he steps in to help out with some of the injuries the Rams came into the season with. Nuer Gatkuoth, the Rams Freshman All-American hasn’t played yet this season so Kirschke has been a nice addition with his ability to step in and play at a high level.

The 6-foot-5 redshirt sophomore already leads the team in sacks with two this season. He’s done what Ndulue has asked and so far looks like he can be a pivotal part of the Rams’ pass rush moving forward. 

“This is really his first year playing, so he’s going to learn a lot this year and take over next year,” CSU defensive lineman Cam Bariteau said. “But you can tell: The signs are there, and he’s doing a great job.”

One of the things that helped Kirschke get to where he’s at is his father, who is a former defensive lineman for UCLA and the NFL. Travis Kirschke is a two-time Super Bowl Champion, having played defensive line for the Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Having a mentor who has reached the peak of football immortality has been great for Gabe Kirschke. 

“I don’t think I’d be where I am today without him in terms of guidance,” Gabe Kirschke said. “He’s helping me. I call him, I talk about practice, what I need to work on, same thing after games. … It’s really cool, and it’s a huge blessing.”

Ndulue said he hopes to have that relationship with his son one day: a relationship that creates an incredibly special bond.

“I can’t wait ’til I have a son myself,” Ndulue said. “Hopefully he wants to play football and decides to be a defensive lineman. That’s, like, every dad’s dream.”

While Gabe Kirschke may have already made his dad’s dreams come true, he still has his own dreams to tackle. 

As No. 58 creates his destiny in green and gold, one he hopes can take him to the league, he at least for now gets to revel in the special atmosphere that is Canvas Stadium.

“This atmosphere has been really good, and all the fans have been great,” Gabe Kirschke said. “Shoot, this is one of the best atmospheres — I’ve played in Wisconsin and that game (against Colorado) — it was really cool, the way (CSU) does everything.”

Reach Damon Cook at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @dwcook2001.

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