Quarterback Dan Persa is taking a lot of ribbing from his teammates since the "Dan Persa for Heisman" campaign started a week ago. Between the purple 7-pound dummbells that were sent out to football writers across the country and the billboards on the Kennedy Expressway and the other one in Bristol, Conn. near ESPN headquarters, Persa's teammates have a lot of ammo.

But he probably wouldn't have it any other way.

"My teammates have been making fun of me, but if it gets more attention for our program, then I'm fine with it," Persa said. "I'm sure my parents want me to get [the purple dumbbells] but I don't have them. I didn't come up with this or anything, but anything that gets more attention to our program and gets more people to our games is good."

Persa is back and all seems right with the world in Evanston. Granted, there are still issues that need to be addressed on defense -- coach Pat Fitzgerald brought in former Wildcats linebacker Tim McGarigle to show the 'Cats the way -- and the offensive line seems like one big question mark except for Al Netter, but at least for now Wildcat fans can relax that Persa is getting back to his old self.

On the basketball beat, Wildcat fans should know by Wednesday what the winning court design is for the new floor at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The all-purple court was in second place, last I heard.

Also, coach Bill Carmody picked up another recruit in 6-7 small forward Kale Abrahamson from Des Moines, Iowa. Last month, Abrahamson was offered by Iowa but opted to give Carmody a verbal commitment on Tuesday.