Pat Fitzgerald on Dan Persa

Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald on quarterback Dan Persa’s status before camp starts on Aug. 8:

“I don’t have a crystal ball for Dan, but I got cleared to do anything in the first week of July [after Fitzgerald broke his leg against Iowa his junior year] and now guys are training 365 days a year. It’s going to be a different set of circumstances. He’s in a different place right now mentally than he was last year.”Fitzgerald said Persa is 100 percent healed from his Achillies heel surgery, but Persa still needs to get in game shape. Fitzgerald said his quarterback will need to “get in the best shape of his life” when the Wildcats head to Camp Kenosha next month.Fitzgerald pointed to Mike Trumpy as a starter in the Wildcats’ backfield and also mentioned Adonis Smith as another top ballcarrier.