Kerrigan highlights Purdue athletics Hall of Fame class
INDIANAPOLIS — One of the most dominant, physically imposing defensive linemen in Purdue’s history walked into a fifth-floor boardroom at the Indiana Roof Ballroom Thursday looking sharp in a crisp gray suit with a paisley tie.
And a nametag.
Which, of course, Ryan Kerrigan would do.
The superstar always has been unassuming.
Even now, as Kerrigan was one of seven former Boilermakers inducted into Purdue’s athletics Hall of Fame. He never has seemed to quite grasp just how impressive of a player he was or is, even, as he finished last season with the Washington Redskins in his third Pro Bowl.
When Kerrigan came to Purdue in 2007, he figured he’d clock four years’ worth of football and then get a normal job.
Eventually being honored as one of Purdue’s all-time greats?
"Never in a million years did I think anything like this would transpire," he said Thursday. "When I got the call (with the news), I was kind of like, ‘Oh!’ It kind of took me back a little bit. It’s awesome. I never played to make this happen, but the fact that it is something that came along with it is really cool."
After registering 26 tackles for loss, including 12.5 sacks, Kerrigan was a unanimous All-American pick as a senior. He was the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year and runner-up for the Hendricks Award, given to the nation’s best defensive end, that year, too. That was only a flourish to end a remarkable career in which he accumulated 33.5 sacks and 57.0 tackles for loss and, generally, established himself as a menace for offensive tackles — and whoever else coordinators tried to block him with.
Not that Kerrigan wants to brag about any of that.
Even on a night when he was celebrated for his greatness.
Instead, as always, Kerrigan only relented when pushed a bit, and, even then, he still wore his aw-shucks approach full-on.
"I guess I don’t think about it too often," Kerrigan said about his individual production during his career from 2007-2010. "I mean, when I do think about it, I’m like, ‘OK, that was pretty awesome. I was able to be productive for multiple seasons.’ That’s a very good feeling."
Most of Kerrigan's memories about his Purdue days are focused on the relationships that were built and established. Some of his closest friends now were Purdue teammates, like linebacker Joe Holland, who attended the ceremony.
Not that Holland had much advance notice.
Kerrigan didn't actually tell Holland he was being inducted. Holland had to find out from former Boilermaker Pete Quinn.
Holland knows Kerrigan is never impressed with himself — "If I text him after he has three sacks against Jacksonville, I feel like all he does is blush," Holland said last summer — even if others don't quite feel the same way.
Kerrigan has become a Purdue legend, for a variety of reasons, not just because of his college success. He's been a fierce, loyal fan since he graduated, donating not only time to come back to campus — like he'll do Friday for his annual 12th Boiler golf outing — but also money to significant football-center campaigns. He follows the school's athletics closely, often tweeting about the football and basketball teams.
Though Drew Brees is king, Kerrigan quickly is rising as one of the Purdue community's favorite sons.
Kerrigan admitted he's trying to embrace being the new face of Purdue football.
"Purdue means a lot to me," he said. "When I’m really proud is that a lot of people immediately associate me with Purdue, which I’m really happy about. They’ll be like, ‘Oh, Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue,’ if I meet somebody. That’s a real cool thing to me. After this (7-6) season, I wore that with a little more pride."
Maybe the best part, former coaches and players say, about Kerrigan's success: He didn't fall into any of it.
Kerrigan established himself quickly as a worker while he was at Purdue, someone who "did everything right," as Holland said, whether it was being mindful of his body or giving ultimate effort in practices and workouts. Not just the games.
But for Kerrigan, he knew no other way to approach it.
"My mom and dad are very hard workers. My older brother (Kyle) is a very hard worker as well," Kerrigan said. "I remember watching him. He was a soccer player and swimmer throughout high school, and he decided he wanted to swim in college. So he’s like, ‘OK, if I want to do that, I have to kind of rededicate myself.’ So he started doing extra swimming workouts, changing up his diet, even at the high school level, and I thought that was pretty cool. I was like, ‘OK, it takes a little more dedication rather than just going to practice and working hard. You’ve got to do little things outside of the practice realm to make things happen.’ "
And Thursday, that work paid off in the form of a significant milestone: A spot with elite company.
"Just to think of everything that has transpired is pretty crazy," he said. " I’m so fortunate that I ended up at Purdue. I didn’t have a ton of offers coming out, but I had one from Purdue, and that’s the one that mattered, and it ended up being the best decision I ever made."
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