“PersaStrong”, Northwestern’s Dan Persa for Heisman!
The University of Northwestern had a strong campaign last season, despite compiling a 7-6 record. The Wildcats were much better than their record indicated and Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald has done an outstanding job turning around this program. He has an astonishing career record of 31-23 while at the helm of Northwestern. At first glance those numbers may not seem impressive, but when you look at the program he is doing it at you realize how great of a coach he is. The Wildcats had not won nine games in a single season since 2000, before Coach Fitzgerald was able to guide them to a 9-4 mark in 2008. The biggest reason for Coach Fitzgerald recent success? Stud quarterback Dan Persa. Persa is a highly decorated quarterback, and this year he is looking to add the biggest collegiate trophy to his collection: The Heisman.
Northwestern certainly is pulling for him to win the award as well, that would cap off an amazing career for Persa. Last year, as every college football fan should remember, Persa ruptured his Achilles tendon while throwing the game winning touchdown pass against the heavily favored #13 Iowa Hawkeyes as the final seconds ticked off the clock. Now Persa is back, and back with a vengeance. Northwestern has also launched a Heisman awareness campaign for Persa, who broke the all time Big Ten passing completion percentage last season. He also tossed an impressive 15 scores while scampering across the plane for nine more touchdowns. Now that Persa is entering his senior year, the “PersaStrong” Heisman campaign is in full effect.
The campaign is a three prong assault, highlighting his successes on the football field, in the classroom, and in the community. According to the website there will be three different avenues that Northwestern will promote their Heisman hopeful. One; Media Awareness. This part of the attack will feature a pair of seven pound dumbbells, (Persa’s number) which is symbolic for Persa being the strongest pound for pound quarterback in the nation, and strongest athlete that the Wildcats have. It will be sent to local medias along with several major national networks.
The second tactic is the outdoor campaign. This campaign will feature giant billboards in the three highest trafficked areas of Chicago. This will certainly help bring attention to not only Persa but the Northwestern program as well. There will also be billboards placed in Bristol, Connecticut which is the home of ESPN. That certainly should help Persa go from the best kept college secret to a well known player.
The third and final approach is electronic and social media. This will likely generate the most traffic for them. The university is creating a website, www.PersaStrong.com that will be updated throughout the year. It will be full of pictures and highlights and comprised of information about him and the program. There will also be a twitter account about Persa, which will feature stats, facts, and random tidbits about Persa. Of course Northwestern knows that all the advertising the in the world won’t make Persa win the Heisman, but it certainly helps. They understand that it is truly up to the play of Persa on the field. I have been impressed with Persa the second I saw him play, and I am positive you will be as well. The Wildcats may not be the best team in the nation, but they have one of the best collegiate athletes under center for them. Northwestern understands that they must win lots of game, and Persa must live up to expectations (don’t worry he will-if not exceed them) if he wants to bring the Heisman Hardware back to campus- a feat that no other athlete in the history of Northwestern has been able to accomplish. I usually don’t play favorites when it comes to picking a Heisman winner, and I am not saying he is the front runner, but I would love to see this guy take home the trophy. He is an amazing football player and a smart young man, but above all else he is an outstanding person. Persa embodies exactly what you want in every college football player, particularly the face of your team-the quarterback. He truly deserves to be at the pinnacle of college football.
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