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50 IllustrateD volume 24, issue 5 f BY ALAN KARPICK AKarpick@GoldandBlack.com O n the football field, Ryan Kerrigan lets his play do the talking. The soft-spoken Boil- ermaker All-America defensive end, who is about to commence on his fourth season as an NFL outside linebacker, is apparently the same way when it comes to his yet-to-be-formally launched menu item at Triple XXX. "While I can't wait to have a sandwich with my name on it on their famous menu, I am also hum- bled by it," said Kerrigan, who roamed the Boil- ermaker sidelines from 2007-10. "I never thought this would happen to me. "The first time I went to Triple XXX was when I was a freshman and I looked over the menu and saw all the sandwiches with famous former play- ers' names on them. It seemed a little far-fetched at the time that someday I would have one named after me." Spoken with true humility. Kerrigan has an aw- shucks type of personality, a guy truly capable of get- ting geeked-up about a hamburger. But there is nothing humble or understated about the Triple XXX's new menu item. The Ryan Kerrigan Special, as you can see on the bottom right portion of this page, will have two one-quarter pound hamburgers on a bun with slices of cheese and chili in between. It is so big that Kerrigan couldn't even approximate the size when discussing it in late April. "Chili is one of the favorite dishes my mom made and she has always sent some back with me when I came back to campus," Kerrigan said. "I would always put the cheese on top to trap over the chili to keep it on the hamburger." Those sound like words from a man who has a culi- nary plan. "He is the perfect guy to represent the ideal we are looking for," said Greg Ehresman, who serves as co-owner of Triple XXX Family Restaurants with wife Carrie. "You just can't find a bet- ter guy and a better representative of what Purdue is all about." Ehresman admits to being frus- trated with not having of- ficially launched the sandwich. Snafus with menu printing have caused the delay, but Ehresman promises it will be worth the wait. "This sandwich is absolutely hu- mongous," Ehresman said. "It's bigger than life and that is kind of like Ryan. I have told people this burger is a mess, plain and simple. It is like trying to cup your hands to drink water from a creek.'" Not surprisingly, Kerrigan is also humbled being the new face of Purdue foot- ball alumni. He has re- placed Drew Brees who, while still very supportive of the Boilermaker pro- gram, has become a na- tional figure with heavy demands on his time, not the least of which is soon having four children. "It is a real privilege having the opportunity to be an alumni spokesperson for the program," said Kerri- gan, who will host a golf outing on May 9 (see Pages 36-37). "Purdue football is very dear to my heart and represents the best four years of my life. "Despite not having the (team) success on the field we would have liked, it is a place that will always be special to me." Still, Kerrigan feels he has much to prove in profes- p r e s e n t s : t h e s t o r y b e h i n d t h e s a n d w i c h Humbly Paying It Forward Kerrigan honored to be face of football alums Washington Redskins Ryan Kerrigan is looking to elevate his game.