Brooks: Kronshage Answers The Call, Ready For Recall

BOULDER - Gary Bernardi has learned to expect the unexpected. When he accompanied Mike MacIntyre two winters ago from San Jose State to the University of Colorado to coach CU's offensive line, Bernardi immediately was faced with a rebuild that was rerouted before all was said and done.

Returning O-linemen with experience already were scarce, and then David Bakhtiari declared his eligibility for the NFL Draft and Alex Lewis declared he didn't want to spend any more time in CU football, transferring to Nebraska.

"Always something," Bernardi said with a sigh and a smile the other morning as he walked off the practice field.

And it was something else last Saturday as the Buffaloes prepared to play Washington. As Bernardi jogged onto Folsom Field, with kickoff minutes away, he was told that backup guard Gerrad Kough, a rapidly improving redshirt freshman, had been stricken by a stomach ailment and wouldn't be available against the Huskies.

Bernardi took it in stride - literally - and hoped Kough's absence wouldn't come into play. Of course, that hope would be dashed before the first quarter ended.

After a mere 13 offensive plays, left tackle Jeromy Irwin went out with an ankle injury, which under normal circumstances would mean shifting senior left guard Kaiwi Crabb outside to tackle and replacing him with Kough.

But Kough, remember, was in the midst of a hurl-a-thon and not nearly up to facing a Huskies defense that relentlessly rushes the passer. Minus the Kough at guard, Crabb at tackle option, Bernardi turned to redshirt freshman Sam Kronshage to play tackle and be the primary left-side safeguard (safetackle?) between CU quarterback Sefo Liufau and UW linebacker/end Hua'oli Kikaha - the FBS leader in QB sacks.

"It could have been a disaster," Bernardi said.

It wasn't.

Kronshage, a 6-5, 285-pounder from The Woodlands, Texas, was more than up to a formidable task. Kikaha registered one sack, increasing his season total to 15.5, but the Huskies finished with just three in a 38-23 win. Protecting Liufau wasn't the Buffs' problem - and it hasn't been all season.

"I thought I held my own out there," said Kronshage, who played 85 snaps. "Of course, there were a few mistakes, but that's a given. I'm ready to learn and keeping on pushing forward from there."

Said Bernardi: "He did a good job . . . he had a tough assignment to say the least. There were obviously some things we'll continue to work on, but, yeah, it could have been a disaster."

Irwin's status for Saturday's game at No. 21 Arizona (6 p.m. MST, Pac-12 Networks) remains cloudy. "We still don't know," said Bernardi. "We we're still holding out hope that he'll be able to return to practice on Thursday or Friday."

Bernardi also was uncertain what Kronshage's role might be against the Wildcats. "Obviously he's going to play this week, but whether he starts and will be there the whole game, I don't know," Bernardi said. Kough's status will factor into that decision, but Kronshage's performance against UW might have inched him closer to being the backup left tackle and eliminate the need to shift Crabb outside from guard.

"He does some things that show up on film that are pretty good, you know?" Bernardi said of Kronshage. "But he's a freshman and sometimes he plays like a freshman. That's just the way it is. But he's gotten better. He's learning how to study football and understands the importance of studying it. And his technique has improved."

Whatever happens before Saturday, Bernardi is thankful he's got able and capable bodies to plug into his rotation. Keeping Crabb at left guard and Daniel Munyer at right guard are preferable because both are seniors and are able to offer in-game help to right tackle Stephane Nembot, center Alex Kelley and whoever lines up at left tackle.

"Pretty valuable, those two," Bernardi said of Crabb and Munyer.

Bernardi backstops himself in the spring and during August camp by teaching most of his O-linemen to play every position. Having options when injuries arise is ideal. "That's why I try to cross-train guys," he said. "In the NFL you can play seven guys, rotate them and figure out what to do later. But those are guys in the NFL . . . there's a difference."

From Kronshage's perspective, when he replaced Irwin there were no glaring chemistry or cohesion issues in the O-line. "I didn't feel like we shut down or we didn't break off . . . we kept on driving pretty well," he said. "I felt like we had the same chemistry."

In critiquing his performance, he mentioned a couple of pass protection technique issues and the initial shock of getting such an early call to replace Irwin and go head-to-head with a player like Kikaha.

n++n++n++It was such a surreal feeling when coach Bernardi called my name," Kronshage said. "I was like 'holy crap, this is really happening.' But yeah, it was definitely kind of intimidating but exciting and nerve wracking. It was a bunch of emotions all at the same time. But it was a really fun time and a great experience."

While he waits on what this weekend and rest of the season bring, he said he will "keep on practicing and keep on doing what coach Bernardi tells me to. Then whatever he wants me to do, I'm going to do it. It's up to him and the coaching staff.

"But I know I've improved since spring. You put the work in then, and I'm just happy it showed up on the field. I'm very pleased."

As for Bernardi, he'll have five guys ready to play on Saturday and four or five more ready to play wherever needed. "You have to be ready to roll with whatever happens," he said.

Whatever seems to happen routinely.

GILLAM RETURNS

Middle linebacker Addison Gillam returned to practice Wednesday after missing much of the previous two weeks, including all but one defensive series in both games over that stretch. Speculation had swirled about the cause of Gillam's absence, but MacIntyre cleared up much of that at his weekly press conference Tuesday.

"He had a viral thing that turned into a little bronchitis," MacIntyre said. "That's what he's trying to get all out of his system. (It's) very, very unfortunate for him."

Gillam spoke briefly after Wednesday's practice and said he plans on returning to the lineup against the Wildcats.

Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU