Persa, Ebert named first team All-Big Ten

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern's Dan Persa (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) has been selected as the All-Big Ten first team quarterback by a vote of the conference coaches while wide receiver Jeremy Ebert (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Darby) is an All-Big Ten first team choice of the conference media. Overall, eight Wildcats picked up 2010 All-Big Ten accolades from either the coaches or the media as announced today (Nov. 29) by the league office.

Persa led Northwestern to a 7-3 record in 10 starts this season before suffering a season-ending injury in a victory over then-No. 13 Iowa on Nov. 13. He ranks second in the Big Ten in passing yardage per game (258.1), total offense per game (310.0) and completion percentage (73.5).

Persa connected on 15 touchdown passes against just four interceptions, completing 222 of his 301 attempts for 2,581 yards while rushing for another 519 yards and nine touchdowns. He accounted for 83 percent of Northwestern's touchdowns in the 10 games he played this year, either throwing or running for 24 out of the 29 scored in those contests.

Persa is the fifth quarterback in Northwestern history to earn All-Big Ten first team honors, joining Brett Basanez (2005), Steve Schnur (1996), Maurie Daigneau (1971) and Don Burson (1941). Persa was chosen as the All-Big Ten second-team quarterback by the media this year.

Ebert gives the Wildcats two All-Big Ten first-teamers for the second-straight season. He leads the conference with 76.6 receiving yards per game while ranking fifth in receptions per game with 4.92. He is tied for fifth on NU's single-season receiving touchdown list with eight this year while currently sitting 81 yards shy of becoming the third Wildcat in program history with 1,000 receiving yards in a single season. Ebert was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection of the coaches.

A pair of defenders -- defensive end Vince Browne (Lisbon, Ohio/David Anderson) and safety Brian Peters (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington Central) -- picked up All-Big Ten second-team accolades from the media. Browne ranks second in sacks (7.0) and third in tackles for loss (15.0) in the conference while leading NU in both categories this year. Peters ranks seventh in the Big Ten in tackles with 8.1 per game (97 total) and seventh in interceptions with 0.25 per game (three total). Peters also was an All-Big honorable mention choice of the coaches.

Junior superback Drake Dunsmore (Lenexa, Kan./Saint Thomas Aquinas) is a consensus All-Big Ten honorable mention selection. He ranks second for Northwestern with 39 receptions and five touchdown catches.

Three more Wildcats won All-Big Ten honorable mention nods from the media: Defensive lineman Corbin Bryant (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park), cornerback Jordan Mabin (Northfield Center, Ohio/Nordonia) and offensive tackle Al Netter (Rohnert Park, Calif./Cardinal Newman).

Bryant ranks third for Northwestern with 8.0 tackles for loss while also earning an interception, six quarterback hurries, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble on the year.

Mabin leads the Big Ten with 13 passes defended in his third year as a starter in Northwestern's backfield. He ranks fourth on the team with 58 tackles including 46 solo stops.

Netter is a two-time All-Big Ten honorable mention choice after also earning the award from both the coaches and the media in 2009. He has started at left tackle in each of Northwestern's 38 games in the last three seasons and is an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V first-team selection in 2010.