Ad Disclosure
Purdue DB granted waiver by B1G, eligible for season opener vs. Iowa
Published:
A former Iowa defensive back is going to face the 2020 Hawkeyes and several former teammates Saturday in West Lafayette, Indiana, but the black and gold he’ll put on this season belongs to Purdue.
Sophomore DJ Johnson transferred to the Boilermakers following the 2019 season at Iowa. His waiver to play immediately was approved by the NCAA and Monday the B1G provided final authority for Johnson to be on the field to start the season.
The 6-foot Johnson was a 3-star high-school prospect out of Indianapolis when he committed to Iowa in 2018 and redshirted his freshman season for head coach Kirk Ferentz. Last year, as Iowa went 10-3, Johnson was credited with 14 tackles, 11 of them solo, and 2 pass break ups.
He might be making his debut without his new head coach, as Brohm, 49, has tested positive for Covid-19 and is presumed to have contracted the virus. Barring the revelation of a false positive, Brohm will not be allowed to coach from the sideline or have contact with his team during the game, which kicks off at 3:30 ET, Saturday.
Bob Diaco, a former Hawkeye under head coach Hayden Fry, coaches linebackers and defensive backs for Purdue. Diaco favors versatile players who can line up all over the defensive backfield and Johnson is expected to fill that role for the Boilermakers.
Mark Schipper is a reporter, sportswriter, and aspiring novelist living in Chicago, Illinois.