By JESSE TEMPLE
jtemple@muncie.gannett.com
As far as Ryan Kerrigan is concerned, he’s no different from any other undergrad that walks Purdue University’s campus during the week.
“I’m just another student going to class, and that’s fine with me,” Kerrigan says.
It’s what he’s doing on weekends now that is really beginning to set him apart from his peers.
Kerrigan, a Central High grad, tallied a team-best nine tackles from his defensive end position last Saturday for Purdue’s football squad, including a career-high four tackles for a loss and a career-high-tying three sacks. He also forced two fumbles, recovering one, in helping the Boilermakers upset No. 7 Ohio State 26-18.
The victory temporarily restored some luster to the Purdue program, ending the team’s five-game losing streak and a 19-game skid against ranked opponents, dating to 2003.
For Kerrigan’s efforts, the junior was named the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Week to go along with several other national defensive player of the week awards.
That Kerrigan has vaulted himself onto the national college football scene comes as no surprise to Purdue defensive line coach Terrell Williams. Williams said Kerrigan, at 6-foot-4 and 263 pounds, had improved his strength and speed each season while with the Boilermakers. Kerrigan now can bench press 450 pounds, and he runs an impressive 4.65-second 40-yard dash, according to Williams.
“We knew as a freshman that at some point he would be a great player in this league,” Williams said. “Every year, he’s gotten better and better. Last year, I thought he had a pretty good year. This year, he’s worked on his pass rush moves a lot more. I still believe his best football is ahead of him.”
As a high school player for Central, Kerrigan earned two first-team All-State nods for his play defensively. He led the state as a senior with 19 sacks, making 90 tackles to become one of the top football prospects in the state. The likes of Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan, Cincinnati, Illinois and Purdue came calling.
“We were always hearing about him from other people and coaches,” said Ryan’s father, Brendan Kerrigan, who was a scout-team player for Ball State’s football team in the mid-1970s. “As parents, you’re just a little skeptical. A lot of coaches would say, ‘He’s really good.’ They’d come back later and say, ‘See, we told you he was good.’ We weren’t sure.”
As it turned out, Ryan was quite good. In his first career game at Purdue as a freshman, he tallied a sack against Toledo in the fourth quarter. He appeared in 12 of the team’s 13 games that season, making 12 tackles. A year later, he started 11 of 12 games, making 56 tackles and ranked seventh in the Big Ten with seven sacks — a number he already has matched in just seven games this year.
The seven sacks this season rank Kerrigan in the top 15 nationally in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
“He has the physical attributes to go out and dominate a game, and he was able to do it on a big stage on Saturday,” Williams said.
Now, the question beginning to loom is: Will Kerrigan be able to do it on a big stage on Sundays in the National Football League?
Williams believes the answer is yes. And he would know. Williams works closely with the NFL as Purdue’s liaison for professional football.
“His best is better than most,” Williams said.
Kerrigan sure would like to realize his NFL dream, too. But he doesn’t want to get ahead of himself.
The math education major still has more strolls to class on campus left and more collegiate games to play.
“Yeah, that would be phenomenal if that opportunity comes about,” Kerrigan said. “Right now, I’m just focusing on getting better each and every day. If you put that thought in your head that you’re playing to get to the NFL, then you’re not playing for the right reasons.”
z Contact prep sports reporter Jesse Temple at 213-5807.