Ten Big Game Changers: Purdue DE Ryan Kerrigan

CHICAGO - Never is an award named more appropriately than the one Purdue defensive end Ryan Kerrigan received by his coaches in 2009.

Kerrigan, a senior, earned the team's Pit Bull Award, which exemplifies sustained tenacity and intense play. He proved his value multiple times over the last two seasons, perhaps none more than against Ohio State last year.

Kerrigan was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after devastating Ohio State for three sacks in a 26-18 upset. Kerrigan had four tackles for loss, totaling 37 yards, and forced two fumbles. He finished the day with a team-high nine tackles.

"He's an extremely hard worker," Purdue Coach Danny Hope said. "He shows up and gives you his best every day. He does exceptionally well in the classroom. And his play speaks for itself on Saturdays."

Kerrigan (6-foot-4, 263 pounds) finished the season with a Big Ten-high 13 sacks and had 18.5 tackles for loss. He forced a national-best seven fumbles, the second-highest number in Big Ten history. He was named all-Big Ten and an honorable mention All-American.

Success comes from hours of film study for Kerrigan. To get a good rush, he looks for keys among the offensive linemen a split-second before the play develops.

"I first look at his eyes and see where he's looking," Kerrigan said. "Usually that indicates where he's going to be blocking. So if I know he's blocking me, then I'll get more in a speed stance to get upfield better. I just try to time my punch and try to time his punch to know when he's going to punch me so I can be ready to knock his hands down."

Kerrigan's performance was indicative of Purdue's mystifying 2008 season. The Boilermakers knocked off perennial Big Ten heavyweights Michigan and Ohio State, plus nearly beat Pac-10 champion Oregon. But Purdue started slow with a 1-5 record and fell apart in games against Northern Illinois, Notre Dame, Northwestern and Minnesota. A late three-point loss to Michigan State kept Purdue from reaching a bowl.

"Last season was definitely a head-scratcher to say the least," Kerrigan said. "We played so well in so many games and came up short. We lost five games by a total of (18) points. The first six games the ball just didn't bounce our way. The second half of the season we had the big win against Ohio State, and it seemed to click after that. We were really confident after that. I guess for this year we've got to learn to start faster and take care of the ball so we don't start out so poorly."

Kerrigan, a Muncie, Ind., product, considered turning pro but surgery to repair a broken foot kept him at Purdue. But that's not the only reason, he said.

"I would not have been a first-round pick last year," he said. "I had broken my foot so and I was a guy that needed a good workout and I wouldn't have been able to do that. So I love Purdue and I like the direction it's going under Coach Hope, I'm excited for this season. That's probably the biggest reason I came back."

With 21 career sacks, Kerrigan is within striking distance of Purdue's career mark of 35 set by Rosevelt Colvin. While the record intrigues him, it's playing a bowl game that has him focused.

"We've been away from the bowl scene for two years now and it's really been frustrating, not only for me but for the football program as a whole," Kerrigan said. "I think it's crucial for us to get back to a bowl game and start the resurgence of the program.

"That's ultimately what I want to be a part of, is the resurgence of the football program."

PURDUE BOILERMAKERS

• 2009 record: 5-7, 4-4 Big Ten
• 2009 review:Purdue easily was the best team not to play in a bowl game last year. The Boilermakers beat both Ohio State and Michigan, lost by two points to Pac-10 champion Oregon, by three points to Michigan State and Notre Dame and by six to Northwestern. That said, Purdue finished 1-5 in games decided by a touchdown or less. It failed to put it all together when it needed to, such as a winner-take-all game with a bowl berth on the line against Michigan State. Purdue lost all four games against teams with six or seven regular-season wins.
• 2010 schedule:S4 at Notre Dame; S11 Western Illinois; S18 Ball State; S25 Toledo; O9 at Northwestern; O16 Minnesota; O23 at Ohio State; O30 at Illinois; N6 Wisconsin; N13 Michigan; N20 at Michigan State; N27 Indiana
• 2010 preview: Purdue has a much better chance of avoiding a 1-5 start again and at worst should be 3-1 entering Big Ten play. New quarterback Robert Marve, a Miami transfer, and wide receiver Keith Smith, who had 91 catches for 1,100 yards last year, should keep Purdue's offense among the Big Ten's most potent. Top running back Ralph Bolden rushed for 935 yards and nine touchdowns last year, but suffered a torn ACL in his right knee in spring practice. Bolden, a junior, is rehabbing but his status is undetermined. He does have a red-shirt season available. Defensively, Purdue returns all-league defensive end Ryan Kerrigan, who led the Big Ten with 13 sacks. The Boilermakers also return four of their top five tackles.
• Making the rounds:Purdue's non-conference schedule includes three beatable opponents plus in-state foe Notre Dame. Purdue misses 11-win teams Iowa and Penn State in Big Ten play, but must travel to league favorites Wisconsin and Ohio State, plus Michigan. Its final three games are against teams that finished 6-18 in Big Ten play last year.
• Bowl game if: Purdue could knock off a similar number of league opponents this year. The Boilermakers play five Big Ten teams that finished. 500 or worse in league play, so if they beat the teams posting similar or worse league records as last year, Purdue could finish in a nice bowl.
• Home for the holidays if: Purdue continues to struggles against mid-level Big Ten teams and if Marve cannot find his offensive rhythm.
• Quotable: "If we had done a better job of taking care of the football from a ball security standpoint, we probably would have been one of the great success stories in college football." -- Purdue Coach Danny Hope.
• Prediction: 6-6, 3-5 Big Ten (Texas Bowl)