Fifth-year senior steps in when, where needed for Hawkeyes

IOWA CITY - You can't really have “journeymen” in college football. It's not like professional sports, where a jersey is a piece of laundry that can be changed at the whim of a general manager.

No, barring transfer, it's a four- or five-year marriage.

It only feels as though Troy Johnson is a journeyman.

“He's one of those guys like in baseball who can do a lot of things,” Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz said.

Johnson, a 6-foot-2, 235-pounder, has spent five years backing up every linebacker spot. He has two starts at middle linebacker. You might remember his Big Ten “defensive player of the week” performance against Minnesota in the '09 finale. Then in the Hawkeyes' 24-3 victory over Penn State, Johnson started for the injured Jeff Tarpinian. He made it about 10 plays before leaving with a concussion.

Johnson could be the man in the middle when No. 15 Iowa (4-1, 1-0 Big Ten) travels to Michigan (5-1, 1-1) for a showdown with quarterback Denard Robinson, the early season Heisman Trophy front-runner and talk of college football.

Ferentz said Tarpinian has a chance to play this week.

“He's got a shot,” Ferentz said. “I don't know if it's a good shot. We'll see, but he's got a shot.”

So 50-50 at best for Tarpinian. That leaves Johnson in the middle of Iowa's defense, which by design funnels everything to the middle, against Robinson, who's second in the nation in rushing (165.2 yards a game) and total offense (369.0).

Johnson is OK with this. It's OK to be nervous, he said. It's what you do with it that matters.

“I think you get nervous for every game, but in a good way, like you're ready to play,” said Johnson, who has nine tackles and a pass breakup this season. “I think it helps me perform better, if I'm nervous. If I wasn't nervous, it probably wouldn't be fun anymore and I probably wouldn't be playing.”

But Johnson is still playing, and don't discount that. Usually, if backups aren't playing, they're transferring.

Johnson, of Lakeland, Fla., stuck it out. A fifth-year senior who can step in and start and play stalwart special teams is worth his weight in gold. Johnson has been that guy.

“Troy is a guy who's been with us five years, really is a good player, a dependable player, and for us to be successful we need guys like that on our football team,” Ferentz said. “We're really glad he's here.”

You want to say Iowa is lucky to have a Johnson to bank on as a backup. Senior center Josh Koeppel is another example. Senior linebacker Ross Petersen, a walk-on, is another.

But saying it's luck would be dismissing the culture that produces diligent seniors who often don't have their names heard over the Kinnick Stadium PA system.

“We're surrounded by good players,” Johnson said. “There were great players before us and we love being here, pretty much. That's why we're here.”

The real marvel of all this is being ready at a moment's notice.

“I don't think it's too much of a challenge,” Johnson said. “Everyone prepares as if they're going to play. ... That's how it has to be if you want to have a successful team.”

They all take a journey. You don't see the path for some, but be glad they're there.