Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) - 2006 SEASON IN REVIEW: A 4-0 start to the 2006 campaign had Iowa fans everywhere thinking their beloved Hawkeyes were going to challenge for their third Big Ten title since 2002. Losses in three of their next four, however, suddenly had the team on the ropes as a 2-3 record in conference pretty much spelled an end to its league championship hopes. An uninspired 10-point decision over Northern Illinois got the Hawkeyes back in the win column, but three consecutive setbacks to Northwestern, Wisconsin and Minnesota had the club reeling. Still, at 6-6 Iowa was invited to the Alamo Bowl to face Big 12 foe Texas but in what turned out to be a close contest, the Hawkeyes fell for the fourth straight time in losing to the Longhorns, 26-24. At 2-6, Iowa recorded its worst Big Ten record since going 3-5 in 2000, but the hope is that the season was not indicative of things to come as coach Kirk Ferentz has the full support of both the administration and alumni alike. Entering his ninth year at the helm, Ferentz has a solid crop of assistants and enough talented players to turn up the heat on the rest of the Big Ten.

2007 ANALYSIS:

OFFENSE: The Iowa offense was predicated on the pass last season, averaging 239.8 ypg to rank 27th in the country. Unfortunately, QB Drew Tate is gone so duplicating that success may prove difficult this time around. Taking over under center is expected to be sophomore Jake Christensen, an inexperienced southpaw who will surely take his lumps as he settles into his new role. Fortunately he should have a decent offensive line in front of him and a rushing attack featuring Albert Young to help ease the transition. A 5-10, 210- pound senior, Young ran for 779 yards and seven TDs in '06. In fact, the team's top two rushers are back as senior Damian Sims returns after averaging five yards per carry and scoring six times a year ago. The line boasts three guys with starting experience (Dace Richardson, Seth Olsen and Rafael Eubanks), and big things will be needed from the front five for Christensen and the Iowa run game to succeed. Ferentz had no choice but to suspend top receiver Dominique Douglas to start the season for his role in an alleged incident involving the improper use of a credit card. Douglas caught 49 balls for 654 yards and two TDs last year, and his job as the team's go-to guy now falls, at least at the outset, to 6-3 junior Andy Brodell who had a tremendous game against Texas in the Alamo Bowl, recording six catches for 159 yards and two TDs.

DEFENSE: Iowa's Achilles' heel last season on defense was stopping the pass, as foes generated more than 210 ypg through the air, ranking the team in the bottom half of the national statistics. The hope is that this year the return of eight starters, including six in the front seven, will improve that area. All four starting linemen are back, and if healthy could be one of the better units in the conference. The key will be whether senior DE Kenny Iwebema can return to the form he demonstrated prior to suffering a shoulder injury last year that limited his production. Linebacker Mike Klinkenborg led the team in tackles in '06, making 129 of them to rank among the best in the Big Ten, and he is joined by fellow senior Mike Humpal to give the Hawkeyes a formidable duo in the middle of the field. As for the Iowa secondary, corners Charles Godfrey and Adam Shada combined for 123 tackles last season and came up with five INTs. New safeties Harold Dalton and Marcus Wilson will need to step up in the absence of guys like former standout Marcus Paschal, but the hope is that the new crop of players will fill the void nicely. Overall, improvements across the board are expected from the Hawkeye defense, and there is reason for optimism considering the wealth of returning talent.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Iowa will have both a new kicker and punter when the season opens on Labor Day weekend, and it appears as if sophomore Austin Signor and freshman Ryan Donahue have the inside track on landing the jobs. Signor has the unenviable task of following former standout Kyle Schlicher, but he has the leg strength to get the job done. He just needs some experience, particularly in big spots. The return game should be fine with Brodell and Douglas, if and when he is reinstated, shagging kicks.

OUTLOOK: While there are questions surrounding the Hawkeyes this year, particularly on offense, dodging both Michigan and Ohio State is certainly a plus. Tough road games at Iowa State, Wisconsin, Penn State, Purdue and Northwestern could go either way so it is imperative the team takes care of business in Iowa City. The Wisconsin, Penn State and Purdue games sandwich winnable home bouts against Indiana and Illinois, and how the Hawkeyes fare in those five may very well determine whether the season is deemed a success or failure.