IOWA CITY — All of a sudden, Djimon Colbert is no longer the young kid in the Iowa linebacker room.
With senior middle linebacker Kristian Welch expected to miss a second straight start in the 20th-ranked Hawkeyes’ 11 a.m. game Saturday at Northwestern, the third-year sophomore is the most experienced linebacker on the field for the Hawkeyes.
The role comes complete with the usual trappings, things like greater expectations from himself and coaches and the occasional "old man" reference from his teammates.
"That’s crazy when people say that to me. I feel like I got here like last week," Colbert said.