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football Edit

Kerrigan excited to be part of Redskins future

Withanewheadcoachandsomekeyoffseasonmoves,includingWashingtonpickinguphisownfifth-yearoption,RyanKerriganisexcitedabouthisfourthNFLseasonwiththeRedskins.
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TheformerBoilermakerdefensiveend,backinWestLafayetteforthefifth-annual12thBoilerGolfOuting,recentlyhadhiscareerextendedwiththefranchisethrough2015.Kerriganwasn'tnecessarilysurprisedbythemove-hisagenthadtoldhimtoexpecttheRedskinstoexercisetheoptionintheoutsidelinebacker'scontract-buthe'spleasedtoknowhisimmediatefutureissecure.
"Veryhappyaboutit.I'vereallygrowntoliketheWashingtonarea,andIthinkourorganizationisdefinitelycommittedtowinning,"KerrigansaidaboutanhourbeforeteeingoffontheAckermanHillscourse."Youcouldseethatthroughalotoftheacquisitionswe'vemadethroughtheoffseasonwith(Jason)Hatcher,DeSeanJacksonandAndreRoberts,guyslikethat,soI'mexcitedtobepartofit.
"That'sthebiggestthingformeisthatit'savoteofconfidencefromtheorganizationthattheywantmetobepartoftheplansgoingforwardbecausewehaveaverytalentedteamandarosterthatdefinitelyshouldbeaplayoffteam.There'snoreasonwhyweshouldn'tbe,soit'scooltoknowthattheyhaveconfidenceinmegoingforward."
Kerriganplayednearlytheentireseasonin2013withatornmeniscusinhisknee,aninjurythatrequiredarthroscopicsurgeryattheendoftheyear.Buthestillwasproductive,getting8.5sacksandforcingfourfumbleswhilestillplayingabout95percentoftheteam'ssnaps.
Inhisfirsttwoseasonswiththeorganization,Kerriganplayedallbutabout10snapsandwasaProBowlerin2012.
Hisperformanceisevenmoreimpressiveconsideringhe'sdoneitatlinebacker-he'dbeenadefensiveendsincefifthgrade,hesaid,includingbecominganAll-AmericanendfortheBoilermakersasasenior.
"IfeellikeIfitthedefensiveschemewell,"hesaidoftheRedskins'3-4look."Coach(Jim)Haslettreallybelievesinmeandhavinghimbackformyfourthseasonandhavinganotheryearinthesystemisexcitingtome.It'sadefensethatallowsmetobeversatileandreallydoalotofdifferentthingsacrossthelineofscrimmageandevenofftheballalittlebitnow,whichIneverthoughtI'dbesayingthat.It'sagoodfitforme."
Kerriganhasrecoveredfromthekneesurgery-heparticipatedfullyintheteam'smini-camplastweek-andiseagertoadjusttoapotentialnewrolein2014.
"Morewillbeexpectedfrommefromaleadershipstandpointthisyear,especiallywithLondonFletcherhavingretiredinthelinebackingcorps,"hesaid."Butthat'sachallengeI'llbewillingtoaccept."
Kerriganonwhyhecamebackforthegolfouting:"Purdue'sobviouslysomethingthatisverydeartomyheart,veryclosetomesoanytimeIcancomebackandnotonlygetbacktocampusbutinawaythat'shelpingtheuniversityandhelpingthefootballprogram,it'ssomethingI'mexcitedabout."
Kerriganongolf:"I'vebeenplayingallspringgettingreadyforit.SohopefullyIcanshowwell.
KerriganonPurdueseniordefensiveendRyanRussellClick(Crushingtheballis)theexpectation,butthat'snotalwayshowitworksout.I'llhititfar,butthedirectionisalwaystheproblem."HeretoviewthisLink.:"I'mexcitedtoseewhathecandothisyear.Hehasachancetobeareallyproductive,reallydominantplayerinthisleague.Hehasthebodyforit,andhehasthefootballIQ.Ijustwanttoseehimbeabletoputittogetheronthefieldandbetheproductiveplayerhecanbe.Weallknowhecanbe-lookattheguy.He'shugeandreallyathletic.Ithinkhecanbeareallygoodplayer."
KerriganonPurdue'ssecond-yearcoachingstaff:"IwashereforNationalSigningDayandgottospendalotoftimewiththecoachingstaff.I'mreallyimpressedwiththem.Theyhavealotofgreatexcitementfortheschool,fortheuniversity,fortheprogram,andIthinkthat'dbeagreatsellingpointifIwerearecruitcomingout."
Kerriganonpotentiallyprovidingstudent-athleteswithastipend:"Ican'tspeakforeveryone.Icomefromafamilywheremyparents,Ididn'taskformuch,butifIeverneededanything,theywerewillingtohelpmeout.Iknowallfamilysituationsaren'tlike.SoIcanunderstandbothendsofthespectrum.Thescholarshipcheckwasplentyforme."
KerriganontheNCAAsupplyingunlimitedmealsandsnacks:"Ithoughtitwasalreadyunlimited.I'djustgrabthings,stufftheminmybackpackandtakethembacktotheapartment."
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