The Kid Can Handle It

It was tough to go back to the bench after those games, Kolb says, but he kept an eye on the bigger picture: "I knew my position. I knew Donovan was the starter. And I also felt that I had a pretty good shot at being the starter this year."

Now, after his first full day of practice as a starter, Kolb is upbeat—tired but upbeat. "Man, that felt good," Kolb says. "Did you see how fired up everyone is?"

More than a decade with McNabb gave the Eagles stability and five trips to the NFC Championship Game. But the team had become stale. This year's club is filled with young faces and a new energy—excitement mixed with a touch of nerves. After the reporters and the autograph seekers have gone, Kolb is hesitant to trail his teammates into the locker room. He seems happier on the practice field, just as he is on a lake fishing or in the woods hunting. Anything to keep busy. Thinking too much is not his style. "Sitting around and obsessing isn't going to do me or the team any good," he says.

Kolb knows everyone is watching to see if the Eagles made a mistake moving on from McNabb. He is confident they did not. The only thing he wishes is that he didn't have to wait until Sept. 12 against the Packers at Lincoln Financial Field to start proving it. Not everyone in Philly is sure they're ready for the post-McNabb era. For Kevin Kolb, it can't get here soon enough.

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