THESE SUPERHEROES ARE IN A RUSH

Ryan Kerrigan and Mike Neal, homegrown players from Indiana, are prominently featured on the front cover of the Purdue University football media guide, which offers Boilermakers fans hope for better days ahead. Danny Hope, the first-year head coach, is on the cover, too. No. 94 is Kerrigan, a 6-foot-4, 263-pound junior defensive end from Muncie, who is the pulse of the defense. He leads the Big Ten with 7.5 sacks, one more than University of Wisconsin senior O'Brien Schofield. In the spring, Kerrigan received the team's Pit Bull Award, which goes to the player who best exemplifies tenacity and intensity. Those qualities were on display against Ohio State when Kerrigan sacked Terrelle Pryor three times and forced two fumbles. Neal has a nickname for Kerrigan: Superman. No. 92 is Neal, a 6-4, 302-pound senior defensive tackle from Merrillville, who is the heartbeat of the defense. He might also qualify as the mouthpiece of the Boilers, based on experience (five years in the program) and willingness to engage. In the spring, Neal earned the team's Hammer Award, which goes to the player who consistently came up with the biggest hits. His strength is his strength. He has no peer in the weight room, benching well over 500 pounds. Kerrigan has a nickname for Neal: Incredible Hulk. UW quarterback Scott Tolzien, who has been sacked 10 times over the last two games, will be the target for both Kerrigan and Neal during Saturday's matchup against the Boilermakers at Camp Randall Stadium. Neal is adept at getting a push up the middle, while Kerrigan attacks from the edge. Boiler-Up. On pass-rushing downs, Neal said, "In the back of your mind, it's, 'OK, if I sack this quarterback, we'll have a whole bunch of momentum.' That's the fun part of getting after a quarterback. Getting there is the hard part. Once you do, once you got him, you go crazy." During the Big Ten preseason kickoff meetings in Chicago, the 50-year-old Hope, who has taken over the Purdue program from Joe Tiller, was lavish in his praise of Neal, the Hulk. "I was an offensive line coach at the Division I-A level for 20-something years," said Hope, who worked in that capacity under Tiller. "So I spent the majority of my time looking at the big butts of the offensive linemen in front of me and the guys they were lined up against. "Michael Neal can be a great player, not only at his position, but in this league. I think he'll be a premier defensive tackle if he stays healthy and plays up to his potential - maybe the best that's played at Purdue since Jeff Zgonina." That was quite the endorsement, given that Zgonina was a first-team All-Big Ten defensive tackle and the school record-holder for most tackles for loss in a season (28 in 1992). The 39-year-old Zgonina, a member of the Houston Texans, is in the midst of his 16th NFL season. Added Hope on Neal, "He's got a good motor and he's usually in a bad mood. That's usually a good sign for a defensive tackle." Kerrigan has the same type of motor. "Everybody that comes through Purdue as a D-end aspires to be a great one," Kerrigan has said, "because of the tradition that comes along with playing that position here." While many would associate Purdue with passers like Drew Brees, Kyle Orton, Bob Griese and brand it the Cradle of Quarterbacks, the school is also proud of its "Den of Defensive Ends." The list would include Rosevelt Colvin, Akin Ayodele, Anthony Spencer, Cliff Avril, Shaun Phillips, Ray Edwards, Chike Okeafor, Rob Ninkovich and Keena Turner. Alex Magee, a third-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs, was the starter opposite Kerrigan last year. "I roomed with Alex the last four years. We were like brothers; we did everything together," said Neal, who's now serving in that mentoring role for defensive tackle Kawaann Short, a 310-pound redshirt frosh. "Watching Alex move on to the NFL motivates me." There has been no shortage of motivation lately for the Boilermakers, who still have their sights on a bowl game. Before the Ohio State trip, Brees texted starting quarterback Joey Elliott. The message: "Go out and shock the world and have fun. I'll be watching." Not to be outdone, Colvin, representing the D-ends, texted Kerrigan with words of encouragement after the Boilers upended the No. 7 Buckeyes in Columbus. "I'll guarantee you this much," Neal said in late July, 'Purdue will not lay down in a football game this year.'" He and his teammates have kept their word. mlucas@madison.com