Purdue extended an offer to former Wisconsin and Colorado State transfer defensive lineman Gabe Kirschke on Wednesday.
Kirschke recently reentered the portal after one year at Colorado State. He previously spent two seasons at Wisconsin (2022-23) after joining the program as a walk-on in its class of 2022.
Related: Where Wisconsin football transfers have signed so far
Kirschke is fresh off a breakout 2024 season with the Rams. He finished with 42 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 6 1/2 sacks, two pass deflections, one interception and two forced fumbles. His TFL and sack totals each led the team by a wide margin.
The former Badger is now looking to jump back up to the Power Four level. He’s already received transfer offers from Kansas, West Virginia and Purdue.
Purdue Offered! pic.twitter.com/rz7i26vj3T
— Gabe Kirschke (@KirschkeGabe) January 2, 2025
Purdue is amid a program overhaul under new head coach Barry Odom. The Boilermakers went 5-19 in two seasons under Ryan Walters. He was dismissed after their 1-11 2024 campaign.
The program saw 24 players enter the transfer portal during the recent winter window, including star safety Dillon Thieneman (transferred to Oregon), defensive end Will Heldt (Clemson) and tight end Max Klare (Ohio State). Odom and his staff are forced with rebuilding both sides of the football, including defensive line. Kirschke could be a primary target in that regard.
Wisconsin does not play Purdue in 2025. It does in 2026, which would be Kirschke’s final year of eligibility.
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