Dan Persa
Encyclopedia
Daniel Vaughn "Dan" Persa (born November 20, 1988) is an American football
quarterback
for the Northwestern Wildcats
. He attended Liberty High School
in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
.
on June 23, 2006. He chose Northwestern over football scholarships from the University of Akron
, the University of Connecticut
, Temple University
, and the University of West Virginia
.
starting quarterback in 2010
following Mike Kafka
's graduation. In the season-opener against Vanderbilt
, Persa went 19-for-21 and passed for three touchdowns. In week 2 against the Illinois State Redbirds, Persa went 19-for-23 and passed for 240 yards and two touchdowns.
On November 13 against the Iowa Hawkeyes
, Persa went 32-for-43 for 318 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. After throwing a 20-yard touchdown pass to Demetrius Fields to win the game in the fourth quarter, Persa suffered an Achilles tendon rupture
that required season-ending surgery to repair the injury. Evan Watkins replaced him at quarterback for the remainder of the season. Persa finished the season with 2,581 passing yards and 15 touchdowns.
In the 2010 season Persa set the Big Ten single-season record for completion percentage at 73.5%.
before the 2011 season by promoting the slogan "Persa Strong" on billboards in Bristol, Connecticut
, and Chicago
. Bruce Feldman of ESPN.com
had called Persa the strongest quarterback in the country. Persa bench press
es 365 pounds (165.6 kg), squats
520 pounds (235.9 kg), and hang cleans 315 pounds (142.9 kg).
He sat out the 2011 season-opener against Boston College
on September 3, with Kain Colter
starting in his place. Northwestern took Persa's Heisman billboards down on September 9; the University said that the billboard campaign was scheduled to end after one month and it had nothing to do with his injury. He missed the second game of the season, a match-up against Eastern Illinois on September 10.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Northwestern Wildcats
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
. He attended Liberty High School
Liberty High School (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)
For schools with similar names, see Liberty High School.Liberty High School is a public high school located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the United States....
in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie,...
.
Recruitment
Persa committed to the Northwestern UniversityNorthwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
on June 23, 2006. He chose Northwestern over football scholarships from the University of Akron
University of Akron
The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...
, the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
, Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
, and the University of West Virginia
University of West Virginia
The University of West Virginia was an educational authority formed by the West Virginia Legislature on July 1, 1989, to oversee the operation of the state's graduate and doctoral degree-granting institutions. It was abolished on June 30, 2000...
.
2010
Persa became Northwestern'sNorthwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
starting quarterback in 2010
2010 Northwestern Wildcats football team
The 2010 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the Big Ten during the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Pat Fitzgerald, in his fifth season at Northwestern, was the team's head coach. The Wildcats home games were played at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois...
following Mike Kafka
Mike Kafka
Michael John "Mike" Kafka is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Eagles in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Northwestern.Kafka attended St. Rita of Cascia High School in Chicago,...
's graduation. In the season-opener against Vanderbilt
2010 Vanderbilt Commodores football team
The 2010 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University during the 2010 college football season. The team's head coach was Robbie Caldwell, who had been serving as interim head coach following the unexpected retirement of previous head coach Bobby Johnson in July 2010...
, Persa went 19-for-21 and passed for three touchdowns. In week 2 against the Illinois State Redbirds, Persa went 19-for-23 and passed for 240 yards and two touchdowns.
On November 13 against the Iowa Hawkeyes
2010 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
The 2010 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa in the 2010 college football season. The Hawkeyes, led by 12th year head coach Kirk Ferentz, were members of the Big Ten Conference and played their home games at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.Iowa came off of a 11–2...
, Persa went 32-for-43 for 318 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. After throwing a 20-yard touchdown pass to Demetrius Fields to win the game in the fourth quarter, Persa suffered an Achilles tendon rupture
Achilles tendon rupture
The Achilles tendon is the most commonly injured tendon. Rupture can occur while performing actions requiring explosive acceleration, such as pushing off or jumping...
that required season-ending surgery to repair the injury. Evan Watkins replaced him at quarterback for the remainder of the season. Persa finished the season with 2,581 passing yards and 15 touchdowns.
In the 2010 season Persa set the Big Ten single-season record for completion percentage at 73.5%.
2011
Northwestern started a campaign for Persa for the Heisman TrophyHeisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
before the 2011 season by promoting the slogan "Persa Strong" on billboards in Bristol, Connecticut
Bristol, Connecticut
Bristol is a suburban city located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States southwest of Hartford. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 61,353. Bristol is primarily known as the home of ESPN, whose central studios are in the city. Bristol is also home to...
, and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Bruce Feldman of ESPN.com
ESPN.com
ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
had called Persa the strongest quarterback in the country. Persa bench press
Bench press
The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight...
es 365 pounds (165.6 kg), squats
Squat (exercise)
In strength training, the squat is a compound, full body exercise that trains primarily the muscles of the thighs, hips and buttocks, quads , hamstrings, as well as strengthening the bones, ligaments and insertion of the tendons throughout the lower body...
520 pounds (235.9 kg), and hang cleans 315 pounds (142.9 kg).
He sat out the 2011 season-opener against Boston College
Boston College Eagles football
The Boston College Eagles football team is the collegiate football program of Boston College. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a Division I Bowl Subdivision league governed by the NCAA. Within the ACC, the Eagles are one of six teams in the Atlantic Division...
on September 3, with Kain Colter
Kain Colter
Theodis Kain Colter is an American football quarterback for the Northwestern Wildcats of Northwestern University.-High school career:As a high school senior at Cherry Creek High School, Colter was rated as a three-star quarterback prospect by Rivals.com....
starting in his place. Northwestern took Persa's Heisman billboards down on September 9; the University said that the billboard campaign was scheduled to end after one month and it had nothing to do with his injury. He missed the second game of the season, a match-up against Eastern Illinois on September 10.