Wildcats QB Dan Persa sidelined with shoulder injury
By Tina Akouris takouris@suntimes.com November 5, 2011 11:58PM
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Updated: December 7, 2011 8:37AM
LINCOLN, Neb. — Quarterback Dan Persa doesn’t seem to be having the season he had hoped for back in August, when he was touted as a Heisman Trophy candidate and was primed to return from a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Persa suffered another injury Saturday when he banged up his left (non-throwing) shoulder late in the second quarter. Persa did not play in the second half and finished 9-for-14 for 79 yards with an interception.
Persa initially suffered the injury at about the eight-minute mark of the second quarter, when he was scrambling and landed hard on the shoulder. He returned on the next series, but seemed to do more damage when he slid after a 10-yard run. Trevor Siemian took over to start the third quarter and alternated with Kain Colter.
More injuries
Safety Brian Peters broke his left hand in the first half but got a cast and was able to return. He finished with five tackles.
Other banged-up Wildcats were superback Jack Konopka and cornerback Jeravin Matthews. A team official said Konopka has a right leg injury but was not sure of Matthews’ issue.
Milestones
Receiver Jeremy Ebert passed the 2,000 mark for career yardage when he caught an 81-yard TD from Colter in the fourth quarter. He has 2,057 yards for his career, ranking fourth on the Wildcats’ all-time list. Ebert’s 148 yards receiving also broke his previous career best of 124 against Purdue last season. The 81-yard pass play was also the second-longest pass play in NU history, just shy of the all-time mark of 94.
