Northwestern QB Dan Persa, making his first start since last November because of a ruptured right Achilles’ tendon, injured his right lower leg in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game vs. No. 24 Illinois and has been replaced by Kain Colter. It’s not clear whether Persa’s injury involves the repaired Achilles’, but he was able to stand on the sideline. Persa was trying to elude a tackle when a... [Read More]

Northwestern sophomore quarterback Kain Colter will make his first career start Saturday at Boston College, while senior Dan Persa isn't dressed and won't play. Persa, a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2010, had been limited in preseason practice as he continues to recover from Achilles tendon surgery. Colter saw more time with the first-team offense, but coach Pat Fitzgerald had been... [Read More]

If Monday had been an ordinary first day of fall practice, Northwestern Wildcats senior quarterback Dan Persa knows he would have been nervous heading into it. But because Persa missed last season's final three games, sat out spring ball and hadn't participated in a true team practice since early November due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, Monday's opening practice had... [Read More]

Northwestern athletic director Jim Phillips has agreed to a new 10-year contract that will keep him at the university until 2020, the school announced on Wednesday. Phillips was hired by Northwestern in 2008 after being Northern Illinois' athletic director. In his short time in Evanston, Phillips has signed football coach Pat Fitzgerald to a contract extension that will take him through the 2020... [Read More]

Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald got a head start Wednesday discussing some of the college football issues that are likely to come up during next week's Big Ten media days. Prior to meeting with fans at Northwestern's Coaches Caravan in Evanston on Wednesday, Fitzgerald talked with ESPNChicago.com about pay-for-play, ideas coming out of the SEC media days and other issues. On whether... [Read More]