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The Kirk Ferentz-to-NFL rumors are as common to December as holiday shopping and frost on your windshield.

They had died down for a year or two, but now they're back.

The Kansas City Chiefs' firing of coach Todd Haley earlier Monday once again will pose the question of whether Ferentz would leave Iowa for an NFL job. When the Kansas City Star published its list of candidates to replace Haley, from "the realistic to semi-realistic, to just-plain-crazy," guess whose name appears at the top? Colleague Bill Williamson also lists Ferentz as one of the Chiefs' top candidates.

Ferentz has been mentioned for NFL coaching vacancies before and has always opted to remain at Iowa, where he makes incredibly good coin and doesn't need to win 10 games each year to keep his job. His connection to the Chiefs job is general manager Scott Pioli. Ferentz and Pioli have known each other for more than 20 years and worked together in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns/Baltimore Ravens organization, Ferentz as an assistant coach and Pioli in scouting. Both men have ties to New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick. Pioli has drafted several Iowa players for the Chiefs, including quarterback Ricky Stanzi and tight end Tony Moeaki.

"The thing about Kirk is he's one of the finest human beings I've met in my 25-plus years in this business, in this game," Pioli told The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette in August. "He's a great family man. He' got an incredible wife and his five kids, I've known them all since they were young. His ability to prepare people is the fact that he cares about his kids, how he cares about his players. He understands things in the big picture of football and the big picture of life. I think he does a great job of preparing kids and getting kids to trust him because he's so genuine. He's one of those people when you look at football and you see how he does things and how he does his job, it makes you proud to be in the same industry because he's a first-class act."

Bottom line: Pioli has a lot of respect for Ferentz, and few would be shocked if he inquired about the coach's interest in the Chiefs job.

The bigger question: Would Ferentz leave?

He has plenty of reasons to stay in Iowa (more than 3.8 million, actually). He makes top 10 money without having to finish in the top 10 every year, a currency most coaches would cherish. He has tremendous influence at Iowa, which prides itself on coaching continuity (Ferentz is the Big Ten's longest-tenured coach, in his 13th year with the Hawkeyes). His son, James, a Hawkeyes center, will be a senior next year. His youngest son, Steven, is a high school senior.

Ferentz, 56, easily could finish his coaching career in Iowa City, where he's held in high regard by the administration despite some disappointment both on and off the field since the 2010 Orange Bowl. Fan criticism seems to be increasing, but it doesn't seem strong enough to discourage Ferentz from staying.

It comes down to his NFL curiosity. If he's curious about how he'd fare coaching at the highest level, this might be the job and the time to make the jump. Coaches want control, and Ferentz would be working with a general manager he knows and trusts. It's also fair to ask how many opportunities Ferentz will have to coach in the pros.

"Scott typically comes through at some point in the season like a lot of GMs do," Ferentz told The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette. "... I'm always amazed at what he sees about everything and everybody that he'll share with me at some point. I don't know that our conversations were that much more extensive. He values what we say, but he likes to do a lot of work on his own. He and his staff are very thorough, very professional."

Will Ferentz become part of Pioli's staff in the near future? I tend to think he won't, as his situation in Iowa remains very comfortable and advantageous. But if the NFL pull is still there, this might be the time to move.

When Iowa wrapped up preseason camp, coach Kirk Ferentz left the field despondent about a particular position group.

A defensive line replacing three multiyear starters selected in the NFL draft? Nope.

A secondary that lost two multiyear starters at safety? Guess again.

What about the quarterback spot? Ricky Stanzi, after all, had taken his bionic arm and infectious patriotism to Kansas City.

But Ferentz wasn't fretting about the men throwing passes. He had little faith, however, in the men charged with catching them.

Other than senior Marvin McNutt, an All-Big Ten candidate and a bona fide NFL prospect, Iowa's wide receiving corps left Ferentz feeling empty.

"I was really in the tank about that position," he said. "We really weren't doing very well."

McNutt, who racked up 87 catches for 1,535 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns in the past two seasons, shared his coach's concern.

"We thought things were moving a little slow," McNutt told ESPN.com. "And you could see in the first couple games, we didn't click the way we wanted to. I knew we had the talent. Things just needed to happen. When people get a little more game experience, they start playing a little bit better."

Or a lot better.

What looked like a weakness for Iowa has become potentially a major strength as the team opens Big Ten play this week at Penn State. The emergence of junior Keenan Davis and redshirt freshman Kevonte Martin-Manley alongside McNutt, who continues to roll, gives Iowa a formidable receiving corps.

Iowa's big three has combined for 58 catches, 880 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns through the first four games. After McNutt carried the corps in the season opener (140 receiving yards, 2 TDs), both Davis and Martin-Manley have come on strong, particularly during a historic second-half rally against Pitt, when Iowa went to an effective no-huddle pass attack that left its fans drunk with the possibilities for the rest of the season.

The Hawkeyes aren't going to "go 100 percent no-huddle," as Ferentz joked last week, but the receiving corps, along with blossoming junior quarterback James Vandenberg, gives coordinator Ken O'Keefe new ways to stretch the field.

"These guys, if you give them a chance, they need to be making plays," O'Keefe told ESPN.com. "The most fun in football is that receiver position."

Iowa's receivers are having plenty of fun these days.

Davis' emergence is more of a relief than a surprise for the Hawkeyes. The departure of record-setting wideout Derrell Johnson-Koulianos left a void, and most expected Davis to fill it, especially after he made strides this spring and turned heads at the spring scrimmage.

But Davis' progress slowed in August, and he recorded only two catches in the opener. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Davis had a key drop in overtime the next week in Iowa's loss to Iowa State but still finished with five receptions for 95 yards and a touchdowns. He followed it up with a career-best performance in the Pitt comeback (10 catches, 129 yards, TD).

"Keenan Davis is finally realizing his potential a little bit," Ferentz said. "I wouldn't have objected if it happened last year with him. We certainly had plenty of need. ... That's the neat thing about football, especially college and high school football. All players progress at different times. The key thing is that they do progress, and we're starting to see that."

Martin-Manley, a smaller receiver at 6-feet and 205 pounds, plays more in the slot and has benefited from some mismatches in coverage.

"The biggest thing for him was learning where he's going to line up," O'Keefe said. "The second thing is get off the line of scrimmage and run your route, get yourself open. And then once you get all that down, you've got to be able to do it full speed. That's what's happened. He's starting to do some things full speed."

The turning point for the receivers, not surprisingly, came in the Pitt game as Iowa fell behind 24-3 late in the third quarter.

"We all looked at each other and said, 'It's time to make plays, men. We know the ball is going to start flying to us,'" McNutt recalled.

Two passes to Davis and one to Martin-Manley put Iowa at the Pitt 5-yard line, where Vandenberg scored two plays later. Iowa's fourth quarter began with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Davis. Martin-Manley then hauled in touchdowns on consecutive possessions, including the game-winner, a 22-yarder with 2:51 left.

"When that happens," McNutt explained, "it builds a lot of confidence for each other as well as us as a receiving corps."

Iowa will need its receivers to be confident and effective as they face by far their toughest defensive test in Penn State.

"We've been making great strides," McNutt said, "but I wouldn't say we think we’re accomplished yet."

Every college football season brings new faces and new storylines, but the Big Ten hasn't had a makeover like this before.

The conference will feature a new member (Nebraska), new divisions (Legends and Leaders) and a new championship game, the first in its history. Five new coaches join the league, and at least six teams will start new quarterbacks. Not surprisingly, the league race appears wide open.

As the Big Ten season kicks off Thursday night in Madison, let's take a look at all the newness around the conference.

NEW TEAM

Nearly 15 months after being admitted to the Big Ten, Nebraska will play its first game as a member of the league. The Huskers have enjoyed a honeymoon of sorts as the rest of the league familiarizes itself with the program's history, the school and a talented team projected to be in the mix for the Big Ten championship.

There will be much more hype surrounding Nebraska's first Big Ten game -- Oct. 1 at Wisconsin -- and rightfully so, and Saturday's opener against FCS Chattanooga won't be the best barometer for Bo Pelini's squad. The game will, however, provide a look at Nebraska's new offense under coordinator Tim Beck. Quarterback Taylor Martinez is healthy and supposedly more mature, while running back Rex Burkhead has received high marks throughout the offseason. Who steps up among Nebraska's talented young offensive skill players?

Those of us who haven't watched Big Red regularly also will get a sense of the defense and the complex scheme defensive tackle Jared Crick, coordinator Carl Pelini and others have cited. Don't expect Nebraska to reveal too much against Chattanooga, but after discussing the Huskers ad nauseum, it'll be nice to see them on the field.

NEW COACHES

Four Big Ten coaches will make their debuts with new teams Saturday, while Nebraska's Pelini works his first game as a Big Ten member.

Luke Fickell's job interview at Ohio State begins Saturday against Akron, as the former Buckeyes defensive lineman and longtime assistant makes his head-coaching debut for his alma mater. Fickell's in-game decisions, sideline demeanor and perhaps even his game-day attire (vest? no vest?) will be closely examined. Ohio State shouldn't have trouble with Akron, and anything less than a strong opening statement after a tough offseason will elicit some grumbling.

Another highly anticipated debut takes place in Ann Arbor as Brady Hoke leads Michigan out of the tunnel. Hoke has made few missteps since his hiring in January, and his approval rating among Michigan fans has soared. But things can change on game day, and a team going through quite a bit of transition must deliver a strong performance against Western Michigan.

Jerry Kill also has energized a fan base in Minnesota, and he begins another turnaround project with the Gophers after successfully rehabilitating programs at lower levels. Kill has been realistic about his team's prospects this season, and an opener at USC provides a huge challenge for Minnesota.

After years as one of the nation's top assistants, Kevin Wilson begins his head-coaching career Saturday as Indiana takes on Ball State at Lucas Oil Stadium, site of the Big Ten championship game. Wilson's personality and coaching style differ sharply from his predecessor, Bill Lynch, and Indiana fans hope the on-field results do, too. A new attitude certainly is taking root in Bloomington.

NEW QUARTERBACKS

At least half the Big Ten will be starting new quarterbacks in Week 1: Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio State, Purdue and Wisconsin. Penn State could play two quarterbacks with previous starting experience (Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin), while Northwestern might have to play multiple signal-callers because of Dan Persa's lingering injury issues.

Terrelle Pryor's departure from Ohio State in June leaves the Buckeyes with virtually no proven experience under center. Senior Joe Bauserman and freshman Braxton Miller emerged in camp, and both men could see significant time against Akron.

The Big Ten's most anticipated player debut takes place Thursday in Madison as Russell Wilson leads the Wisconsin offense against UNLV. Wilson, who started the past three season at NC State, has seamlessly transitioned to a new team and performed well in preseason practices.

Familiar names step into leading roles at Minnesota and Iowa. MarQueis Gray, the Gophers' No. 2 wide receiver in 2010, will start at quarterback, while James Vandenberg, who nearly led Iowa to a Big Ten championship in 2009 after Ricky Stanzi went down, leads the Hawkeyes offense against Tennessee Tech.

Purdue didn't expect to be in this category again, but Rob Henry's knee injury last week marked the latest blow for a star-crossed team. With Robert Marve still hobbled, Caleb TerBush will start the opener, making his first appearance since 2009.

Indiana's quarterback competition has been wide open throughout camp, as Dusty Kiel, Ed Wright-Baker and Tre Roberson try to separate themselves.

The season also brings some new challenges for returning quarterbacks. Michigan's Denard Robinson will have to adjust to a new offense after flourishing in the spread, while Northwestern's Persa might have to reinvent himself as a pocket passer because of limited mobility. Nebraska's Martinez aims for greater consistency in Beck's offense after mixed results in 2010.

As you can see, new is the norm for the Big Ten in 2011. Enjoy the ride.

One thing is for certain when it comes to James Vandenberg taking over as Iowa's starting quarterback this year: he won't be afraid of any situation.

Vandenberg proved that early on in his career, when as a skinny redshirt freshman he kept challenging senior linebacker Pat Angerer to wrestling matches. The results were fairly predictable.

"He has no mercy," Vandenberg said. "It's not like I could ever tap out -- he'd put me to sleep. He taught me a thing or two about toughness."

Vandenberg also likes to talk trash to teammate and wide receiver Marvin McNutt, insisting he can beat McNutt at basketball. Problem is, McNutt was a star basketball player in high school who could have played in college, and Vandenberg admits "it doesn't work out well" when the two play.

"James is crazy," McNutt says. "But I guess you have to be kind of crazy to play quarterback when you know 300-pounders are going to hit you."

It's not that Vandenberg is some kind of fearless hero. He's just a guy who loves to compete at anything, even when the odds are stacked against him.

Blame that on his upbringing. He grew up the oldest of five children and says all his other siblings brought everything they had at the eldest.

"They're way more fearless than I am," he said. "I'm talking blood, teeth, nails and broken arms whenever we played sports. There were some tough battles. My sister was a year younger than me, but she could kick my butt in just about everything."

The Hawkeyes hope all that competition has forged Vandenberg into the kind of leader they need. They've already seen him in a pressurized situation, as he had to replace an injured Ricky Stanzi two years ago during the heat of a Big Ten race. Virtually nobody gave him a shot to succeed as a first-time starter at Ohio State, but Vandenberg managed to keep his team in the game before an eventual loss in overtime.

He earned praise for his guts in that performance, but it didn't earn him a lot more playing time. Vandenberg sat behind Stanzi all of last season, throwing only eight passes in garbage time. So he's still largely an unknown as a starter.

"We felt if James had been called upon last year, he would have played very, very well based on what we saw at the end of the '09 season," head coach Kirk Ferentz said. "He's a year better as a football player in my mind right now than he was a year ago at this time, and we all felt good a year ago.

"So we expect him to play well. That being said, it's going to be new to him. He's going to have ups and downs early. As it goes on, it's going to get better."

Vandenberg has dreamed of this chance for years. He was born in Columbia, Mo., and moved around a lot as a kid as his father used military service to pay for medical school. When he reached fifth grade, the family settled into Keokuk, Iowa, where Toby Vandenberg is the head of the emergency rooms for two hospitals. Though the family's house was in the far southeast corner of Iowa -- "three minutes from Missouri and five minutes from Illinois," Vandenberg said -- their son's loyalty lay firmly with the Hawkeyes, whose games his father would take him to attend. Vandenberg idolized Tim Dwight and Drew Tate.

In his senior year of high school, Vandenberg led Keokuk to a Class 3A state title and set state records for passing yards and touchdown passes in a season. Once he got to Iowa, he spent three years learning under Stanzi, a noted film-room rat who went 26-9 as a starter.

"His whole work ethic kind of rubbed off on me," Vandenberg said. "I've never sat down and watched like five hours of film, but I watch some every day."

The two quarterbacks have similar height and arm strength, but the 6-foot-3 Vandenberg is about 20 pounds lighter.

"James reminds me a lot of Rick," McNutt said. "The only real difference between the two is experience."

It's time now for Vandenberg to get that experience, and how he plays will have a big influence on how the Hawkeyes fare in the Legends Division this year. One thing's for certain: He won't back down from the moment.

We're all about the quarterbacks today on the Big Ten blog, so let's have some fun with superlatives about the league's signal-callers in 2011.

Best dual threat: Michigan's Denard Robinson. You could make a case for Northwestern's Dan Persa and Illinois' Nathan Scheelhaase, but Robinson in 2010 became the first player in NCAA history to eclipse 2,500 pass yards and 1,500 rush yards in a season. Whether he can maintain the same production in a new system remains to be seen.

Best drop-back passer: Michigan State's Kirk Cousins. He fits the traditional Big Ten quarterback mold better than most, and he has put up good numbers in two years as the starter. Cousins completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 2,825 yards with 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2010, despite playing hurt for the second half of the season. He always has a lot of weapons and spreads the ball around well. Iowa's James Vandenberg could fit this description by season's end.

Fastest: I'd love to see a footrace between Robinson and Nebraska's Taylor Martinez. Both men displayed incredible speed in 2010, particularly in the first half of the season. Both men had highlight reel runs such as Robinson's 87-yard score at Notre Dame Stadium and Martinez's pair of 80-yard touchdown dashes against Washington and Kansas State, respectively.

Most accurate: Northwestern's Dan Persa. He set a Big Ten record for completion percentage in 2010, connecting on 73.5 percent of his passes. Persa completed more than 70 percent of his attempts in seven of 10 games, hit on 19 of 21 passes in the opener at Vanderbilt and threw only four interceptions in 302 pass attempts.

Best all-around athlete: There are several nominees here, but I'm going with Minnesota's MarQueis Gray. The guy started at wide receiver in 2010 and finished second on the team in receptions (42), receiving yards (587) and receiving touchdowns (5). He now transitions to quarterback, his natural position, and showed promising signs this spring. At 6-4 and 229 pounds, Gray is a specimen.

Best play extender: Wisconsin's Russell Wilson. Those who watched Wilson at NC State know what I'm talking about. Although he doesn't run for a ton of yards, he does an excellent job of extending plays in the pocket. Wilson can buy time for his receivers to get open and alleviate the pressure on his offensive linemen to keep pass-rushers away.

Most fearless: Iowa's James Vandenberg. The situation was set up for a young quarterback to crumble. Iowa traveled to Ohio State in November 2009 to play for a trip to the Rose Bowl. Ricky Stanzi's injury forced Vandenberg, a redshirt freshman, to make his first career start. But Vandenberg responded by passing for 233 yards and two touchdowns (with three interceptions) as Iowa nearly upset Ohio State in overtime. Vandenberg earned respect in Columbus that should help him as he becomes Iowa's new field general. Penn State's Matt McGloin deserves a mention here, too.

Most improved: Illinois' Scheelhaase. You could see Scheelhaase make strides during the 2010 season and particularly before the Texas Bowl, where he completed his first 13 pass attempts and finished the game 18-for-23 passing for a career-high 242 yards in a rout of Baylor. The sophomore continued to develop as a passer during spring ball. Purdue's Rob Henry deserves a mention as coach Danny Hope called him the Boilers' most improved player this spring.

Biggest mystery man: Penn State's Rob Bolden. We haven't seen much of Bolden since he suffered a concussion against Minnesota in Week 8 last season. Since then, he has tried to leave the program, gone through a spring that earned him high marks, kept the door open for a possible departure and then recommitted himself to Penn State last month. Bolden must beat out Matt McGloin for the starting job in camp, and if he does, it will be interesting to see how much he has improved when the games begin. Purdue's Robert Marve fits in here, too. He comes off of his second ACL tear and has played in just three plus games since 2008.

Most talked-about freshman: It's a close call between Ohio State's Braxton Miller and Nebraska's Bubba Starling. Miller is competing for the starting job in camp following the June departure of three-year starter Terrelle Pryor. Starling, a No. 1 draft pick of the Kansas City Royals, must decide whether to sign a lucrative contract to play pro baseball or help provide depth at quarterback behind Martinez.

Before turning our focus solely to the 2011 season, we're taking one look back at Big Ten preseason media days. It was an eventful two days in Chicago, as we heard from coaches, players and league officials, and set an unofficial record for video interviews recorded (you'll keep enjoying them in the coming weeks).

Media day highlights included the Nebraska crew's debut, the four new Big Ten head coaches, Kirk Cousins' speech, commissioner Jim Delany's annual preseason address and, of course, JoePa.

Let's take one final look back at the media sessions.

WHAT WE LEARNED

1. Red carpet for Big Red: The Big Ten welcomed Nebraska with open arms at media days. Opposing coaches and players all praised the addition of Nebraska and seemed excited about the new division structure and championship game. Nebraska coach Bo Pelini, in turn, gushed about the Big Ten as a "model" conference. We'll see how long the Husker love lasts when the games begin.

2. Wolverines a confident bunch: After several humbling seasons, Michigan is hoping to regain its swagger under new coach Brady Hoke this fall. Hoke didn't lack confidence at media days, saying at one point, "I don't think we're rebuilding, period. I mean, we're Michigan." The "we're Michigan" tactic should resonate well with Wolverines fans, and needle supporters of rival teams.

3. Kirk Cousins' star is rising: The Michigan State quarterback was a huge hit in Chicago, both in his interactions with reporters and with his speech at the kickoff luncheon, which drew a standing ovation. None of this surprises us, as Cousins is one of the sharpest and classiest players in college football. If he excels on the field this season, he'll be a nationally known name.

4. JoePa looking good, feeling good: After a shaky media days appearance in 2010, Penn State coach Joe Paterno looked and sounded much better this year. The 84-year-old made a Socrates reference, played dumb about his contract situation, expressed an interest in calling plays this season and talked about coaching 4-5 more years. Other than not knowing the taunting rule, Paterno had an excellent showing in Chicago.

5. Delany lays down the law: Delany met with the coaches Thursday and addressed the recent swell of NCAA infractions cases with high-profile programs such as Ohio State and Michigan. "It not only has reflected poorly on them," Delany said, "it's reflected poorly on us. I explained to each of those coaches that going forward we do not want two more such cases." Sounds like the coaches have been put on notice.

QUESTIONS ENTERING THE FALL

1. What direction for Ohio State?: As expected, the Buckeyes' media-day contingent faced several questions about how they've dealt with the offseason turmoil in Columbus. And as expected, Fickell and the players preferred to talk about moving forward and focusing on the field. Bottom line: we won't know how Ohio State will respond to a new head coach, the off-field distractions and the suspension of key players until the team hits the field for a meaningful game in September. But you would be silly to count out the team that has won or shared six straight Big Ten titles.

2. Quarterback queries: Other than Michigan State and Illinois, just about every Big Ten team has at least some question marks surrounding its quarterback situation. Can Denard Robinson thrive in a pro-style system at Michigan that will ask him to spend more time under center? Is Northwestern star Dan Persa, who looked and sounded ready to go in Chicago, fully healed from his ruptured Achilles' tendon? How will Russell Wilson fit in with new teammates and a new scheme at Wisconsin? Who will win the starting jobs at Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Indiana? Can Taylor Martinez mature into a leader and stay consistent all season at Nebraska? Can MarQueis Gray make the successful transition from receiver to quarterback at Minnesota? Is James Vandenberg a worthy heir to Ricky Stanzi at Iowa? How these questions are answered should go a long way in determining the 2011 outlook in the Big Ten.

3. The adjustment by and to Nebraska: The Cornhuskers waltzed into Chicago as a self-assured group, talking about how their defensive style of play would give Big Ten teams fits. The truth is, no one knows how Nebraska will fare against a more physical style of play than it became used to in the Big 12, or whether its offense can run the ball successfully against stronger defenses. Advance scouting can only go so far. Nebraska's initial run through the Big Ten will be fascinating to follow.

Iowa turned to James Vandenberg in desperation to save its special run through the 2009 season. That had mixed results. But the dividends from that move might start to become apparent soon.

Vandenberg memorably was thrust into the spotlight as a redshirt freshman quarterback when Ricky Stanzi went down with an ankle injury late in the season against Northwestern. The Hawkeyes were undefeated at the time, and Vandenberg had only appeared in one game that year. He couldn't lead his team on a comeback, and Northwestern handed Iowa its first loss.

A week later, Vandenberg made his first career start -- at Ohio State, with the Big Ten title on the line. Iowa lost in overtime, but Vandenberg impressed a lot of people with the poise he showed in that pressurized situation, throwing for 233 yards and two scores.

"I still threw three picks, which stinks," he said. "But the experience I got in that game, you can't really put a price on it. I know I can do it."

Vandenberg made one more start, mostly staying out of the way in a 12-0 win over Minnesota that cemented Iowa's BCS bid. And that was pretty much the last anyone saw of him on the field in important moments, as his three appearances last year came in mop-up duty behind Stanzi.

Now that Stanzi is bound for the Kansas City Chiefs, the quarterback job belongs to Vandenberg. He's no longer the fresh-faced rookie. He's the man.

"As soon as Rick graduated, things became a little different," he said. "It's something I've been looking forward to for a long time. Like I've been telling people, if I'm not ready now, I'm never going to be ready."

All signs point to him being ready. He has the physical tools at 6-foot-3, 212 pounds. He's got the brains, as a former academic All-Big Ten selection who will finish his degree requirements this fall before focusing on credits that will allow him to either study physical therapy or go to chiropractic school.

"He is respected by his teammates and is a good leader," head coach Kirk Ferentz said after the spring game. "Everyone respects him. Now, he has to go out there this fall and have some success in game conditions and I think he will. He will have some ups and downs, too, like any young player does."

Vandenberg got a pretty good internship in learning behind the rock-solid Stanzi each of the past two seasons.

"Two things come to mind about Rick," Vandenberg said. "One was how much he prepared. He prepared as much as anybody did on our team and as much as probably any quarterback in the country. The second thing was just his cool-headedness. He had his ups and downs throughout his three years, but the way he was always able to bounce back and move onto the next play is kind of an attitude that rubbed off on me. Because it doesn't always go your way."

Vandenberg has tried to step up his leadership this preseason. A couple of times a week he organizes the other quarterbacks, the receivers and tight ends for extra throwing sessions on their own. He developed great chemistry with star receiver Marvin McNutt, as the two arrived on campus together as quarterbacks and "hit it off immediately." He says he also has a tight bond with wideout Keenan Davis, because the two played together with the second unit each of the past two years.

"Even though I was the No. 2 quarterback, I feel like I had just as good a relationship with the receivers as Rick did, if not more," he said. "I try to go out of my way to talk to those guys every day lifting and get them out there throwing with me.

He's no longer talking to them as the desperation, late-year fill-in. They know he's the guy who will lead them into the season.

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- When the preseason polls come out in August, the Iowa Hawkeyes likely won't be included.

That's not a bad thing.

Iowa didn't receive a single vote in the preseason AP Poll in 2002. The Hawkeyes went on to win 11 games and reach the Orange Bowl.

After winning 31 games and two Big Ten titles between 2002-04, Iowa entered the 2005 season ranked No. 11 nationally. It went 7-5 that year.

Despite a strong finish to the 2008 season, the Hawkeyes squeaked into the preseason rankings (No. 22 AP, No. 21 Coaches'). They were nationally relevant but hardly overhyped. And after a major scare against FCS Northern Iowa in Week 1, Iowa slipped out of the polls. It responded with a team-record 9-0 start and finished the season ranked seventh in both polls after winning the Orange Bowl.

The respect Iowa and its rabid fans crave arrived last summer as the Hawkeyes debuted in the Top 10 in both polls. Some even listed Iowa as a fringe national title contender. The team stumbled to 7-5 before a dramatic win in the Insight Bowl.

"When we start kind of off the radar, not in the Top 25, we always seem to raise expectations, within the program, especially," senior tight end Brad Herman said. "It's very easy to slip into the hype, people always patting you on the back and then you lose one or two games and all of a sudden the sky is falling. History shows that's the case."

Hawkeyes' veterans like Herman and defensive tackle Mike Daniels know what it's like to be both hyped and somewhat forgotten. There's no doubt how they'd rather be viewed.

"Iowa guys, we love to play with a chip on our shoulder," Daniels said, "and being under the radar just makes that chip even larger."

It's also a familiar realm for Iowa players.

Most of them weren't decorated recruits. They play for a program that would much rather list the number of walk-ons it has sent to the NFL than brag about the number of five-star prospects it signs each February.

Iowa players aren't used to hearing how great they are, and Kirk Ferentz and his assistants make sure it stays that way. Although Hawkeye football is the biggest show in the state, the team sometimes goes out of its way to avoid the media spotlight.

The underdog mentality is ingrained in the culture here, and it has helped on fall Saturdays.

"That's the tradition," defensive end Broderick Binns said. "Coach Ferentz looks for guys who are willing to work hard, have good character, who aren't going to be [jerks]. It's not tradition for coach Ferentz to bring in a guy that's four or five stars, who's all glamorous. Iowa's not about that. We're all about, 'Put your feet in the ground and go to work.'"

Iowa will go to work this fall without the potential distractions/pressure brought on by preseason accolades. The Hawkeyes' star power is gone, and the team must fill gaps at nearly every position.

Quarterback Ricky Stanzi, a three-year starter and a local cult hero, has departed for the NFL. Iowa loses three multiyear starters along the defensive line, including a likely first-round pick (Adrian Clayborn) and a likely second-rounder (Christian Ballard). Both starting safeties depart (Tyler Sash and Brett Greenwood) along with receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, tight end Allen Reisner and standout punter Ryan Donahue. Iowa returns only five starters on both sides of the ball.

It'll be an uphill climb for respect, but the Hawkeyes don't mind.

"We all have a goal: the Big Ten championship," Herman said. "That's something we state at the beginning of every single season. Being under the radar kind of relieves the pressure a little bit. We aren't really being talked about right now, and that's fine. Nothing changes around here."

If nothing changes this fall, Iowa will find itself in plenty of tightly contested contests. Drama has been the norm for Iowa the past few seasons.

In 2008, the team dropped four of its first nine games by five points or fewer and faced No. 3 Penn State as an underdog. A 24-23 victory against the Nittany Lions transformed Iowa into a clutch team. The Hawkeyes won their next five games decided by five points or fewer and rallied for wins in eight of their first nine games in 2009.

But Iowa's fortunes turned last fall. All five of its losses came by seven points or fewer, including three straight to end the regular season. A team that prides itself on finishing strong repeatedly crumbled in the fourth quarter. The Hawkeyes responded in the bowl game against Missouri, rallying for a 27-24 win, but players and coaches agreed the season was a disappointment.

"We're sitting there at 7-2 and lost three games by 10 points, so what can we do to do better in those situations?" Ferentz said. "That's what we're focused on. It comes down to a lot of little details and giving ourselves a chance. ... The reality is we were pretty good from October 2008 to November 2010. I look at it more that way. I'm not a peak-and-valley person. You can't afford to be if you're a coach."

Iowa appeared to go through some valleys in the offseason as several off-field issues cropped up followed by 13 players being hospitalized in January with rhabdomylosis. The team's celebrated strength program came under fire, but an internal investigation found no specific cause for the hospitalizations and Iowa has moved forward.

"We handled the rhabdo situation very well," Herman said. "Everybody was more pulled together as [the criticism] was coming down on us. It's going to benefit us in the fall for sure."

Iowa has its share of uncertainty entering the fall. Can quarterback James Vandenberg steady the ship after a gutsy performance in relief of Stanzi in 2009? Can Daniels and Binns help the defensive line reload? Who fills the gaps at safety, linebacker and wide receiver?

To these questions, the Hawkeyes say ask away. They'll have answers when September rolls around.

"You've got 11 guys on the field who are just mad at the world," Daniels said. "That's the way we would like to play."

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Greetings from the press box at Kinnick Stadium. Am I early for kickoff?

Unfortunately, football season is about five months away, but Iowa is gearing up for the 2011 campaign in spring practice. I had a chance to visit with head coach Kirk Ferentz and several players earlier today. Most of my Iowa coverage will appear early next week, but there were several interesting nuggets from today.

QUARTERBACK SITUATION


No surprise here, but James Vandenberg has established himself as Iowa's No. 1 option. The junior's experience filling in for Ricky Stanzi in 2009 certainly helps, but he has continued to make progress this spring after a strong pre-bowl session.

"James has separated himself from the other two guys," Ferentz said. "And after that, it's a pretty good competition between John [Wienke] and A.J. [Derby]."

Vandenberg's teammates expressed complete confidence in him at the start of the spring, and nothing has changed. Barring a significant change between now and Sept. 3, Vandenberg will start the season for the Hawkeyes.

"James is one of those guys, he's not not going to leave the door open too much," Ferentz said. "He really gives himself a chance to be a good player."

LATEST ON RHABDO FALLOUT

Ferentz confirmed that defensive back Willie Lowe, one of 13 Iowa players hospitalized with rhabdomyolysis in January, is not with the team. Lowe and Ferentz last spoke in March before Iowa's spring break, and Lowe's situation with the team is "clearly unresolved," Ferentz said.

Although the school has granted Lowe his release, Ferentz echoed AD Gary Barta in saying he hopes Lowe remains with the team.

The other 12 players remain with the team. There have been non-rhabdo-related injuries within the group that have limited players, but the expectation is all will remain on the squad.

"Everybody's out working, and nobody else has asked for a release," Ferentz said.

Ferentz reiterated his support for head strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle and Iowa's strength program, which drew criticism after the rhabdo situation.

"Chris Doyle is the top guy I've been around in that realm, and he's widely recognized," Ferentz said. "Chris' name is very highly regarded in the NFL circles, he's had a lot of opportunities to go that route. Fortunately, he's stayed here and I'm very appreciative of that. ... There's no question in my mind he's a huge part of any success we've experienced."

INJURIES

Ferentz mentioned Iowa has 6-8 players who would normally be in the two-deep who aren't practicing this spring because of injuries. Defensive lineman Steve Bigach is out following offseason surgery, and defensive lineman Tom Nardo has been out with a foot injury.

"Those are two older guys we'll have back in the fall," Ferentz said.

Wide receiver Marvin McNutt, linebacker Shane DiBona and safety Tanner Miller all are missing the spring with injuries. McNutt looked good walking around the complex Friday and should be fine for preseason camp.

PERSONNEL NUGGETS

• It will take some time for Iowa to figure out the secondary for 2011. Micah Hyde, who has played the past two seasons at cornerback, is seeing time at safety this spring, and Jordan Bernstine is being used at both safety and cornerback. Shaun Prater has the left cornerback spot essentially locked down. "If he gets beat out, there's something wrong," Ferentz said. "He's practicing well and performing well." Up to eight players are in the mix for the other three spots.
• Ferentz has been pleased with sophomore running back Marcus Coker, who is building off of his superb performance in the Insight Bowl. You never know how success affects young players, but Coker seems to be approaching it the right way. Ferentz noted that if Coker hadn't fractured his collarbone in preseason camp, he could have played a much bigger role in the run game last season. "He showed us a lot about his mental makeup, just how he caught up," Ferentz said. "He did remarkably well from a mental standpoint for all the time that he missed. He's got the potential to be a lot better football player as he moves along."
• Ferentz also seems pleased with the spring progress of older defenders like linemen Mike Daniels and Broderick Binns, linebacker Tyler Nielsen and Prater. The offensive line returns three starters and Ferentz noted that Adam Gettis, who would have been a starter if not for injuries last season, has had a good spring.
• A final thought from Ferentz on the team: "We're a young team, but we have a good core of seniors that are good players, good leaders and good team guys. We've been pretty enthusiastic about the last couple groups of recruits we've brought on campus. Some of those guys have played and other guys have not played but we feel good about [them]. But I like what I see about the way guys are working. We're not a real good team right now, but I like what I see with the potential they have."

All eyes were on Indianapolis this weekend as dozens of NFL prospects, including a large contingent from the Big Ten, went through the scouting combine.

My ESPN colleagues are all over the happenings in Naptown, so check out the combine blog and the latest Scouts Inc. combine notebook.

There's more testing and timing Monday with the defensive linemen and linebackers, but some results are in, so let's take a look. I'm breaking these down into top performers by position. I'll put together an overall top performers post once the combine is finished.

Wide receivers

• Nebraska's Niles Paul finished second in bench-press reps (225 pounds) with 24
• Paul tied for 14th in the 40-yard dash at 4.51 seconds
• Indiana's Terrance Turner tied for second in vertical jump at 41 inches
• Turner finished seventh in broad jump at 10 feet, 8 inches
• Ohio State's Dane Sanzenbacher finished second in 3-cone drill at 6.46 seconds; Turner tied for 14th at 6.77 seconds
• Sanzenbacher finished third in the 20-yard shuttle at 3.97 seconds; Paul finished 12th at 4.14 seconds; Turner finished tied for 13th at 4.15 seconds
• Sanzenbacher finished second in the 60-yard shuttle at 10.94 seconds; Turner tied for ninth at 11.21 seconds

Quarterbacks

• Iowa's Ricky Stanzi and Wisconsin's Scott Tolzien tied for 13th in the 40-yard dash at 4.93 seconds
• Stanzi finished ninth in the vertical jump at 32.5 inches; Tolzien tied for 12th at 29.5 inches
• Tolzien tied for seventh in the broad jump at 9 feet, 8 inches; Stanzi finished 12th at 9 feet, 2 inches
• Tolzien tied for third in the 3-cone drill at 6.84 seconds; Stanzi finished 12th at 6.95 seconds

Running backs

• Nebraska's Roy Helu Jr. finished sixth in the 40-yard dash at 4.42 seconds; Ohio State's Brandon Saine finished seventh at 4.43 seconds;
• Illinois' Mikel Leshoure tied for third in the vertical jump at 38 inches; Helu tied for eighth at 36.5 inches
• Leshoure tied for fourth in the broad jump at 10 feet, 2 inches; Helu finished 10th at 9 feet, 11 inches
• Helu finished second in the 3-cone drill at 6.67 seconds; Leshoure finished sixth at 6.82 seconds
• Helu finished first in the 20-yard shuttle at 4.01 seconds; Penn State's Evan Royster tied for eighth at 4.18 seconds
• Helu finished first in the 60-yard shuttle at 11.07 seconds

Tight ends

• Wisconsin's Lance Kendricks finished eighth in the 40-yard dash at 4.75 seconds; Michigan State's Charlie Gantt finished 11th at 4.93 seconds; Iowa's Allen Reisner finished 12th at 4.95 seconds
• Gantt tied for first in bench-press reps with 27; Kendricks tied for third with 25
• Kendricks finished sixth in vertical jump at 34.5 inches; Gantt finished 13th at 30.5 inches
• Kendricks finished second in broad jump at 10 feet, 2 inches; Gantt finished ninth at 9 feet, 4 inches; Reisner tied for 12th at 9 feet
• Kendricks finished sixth in the 3-cone drill at 6.94 seconds; Gantt finished 11th at 7.15 seconds
• Kendricks tied for second in 20-yard shuttle at 4.15 seconds; Gantt tied for eighth at 4.4 seconds
• Kendricks tied for sixth in 60-yard shuttle at 11.9 seconds; Gantt and Reisner tied for 11th at 12.12 seconds

Defensive linemen

• Wisconsin's J.J. Watt tied for fourth in bench-press reps with 34; Purdue's Ryan Kerrigan tied for sixth with 31

Linebackers

• Ohio State linebacker Ross Homan finished first in bench-press reps with 32; Ohio State's Brian Rolle finished fourth with 28; Illinois' Martez Wilson tied for ninth with 23

Offensive linemen

• Iowa's Julian Vandervelde tied for 10th in the 40-yard dash at 5.21 seconds; Indiana's James Brewer and Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi tied for 14th at 5.27 seconds
• Michigan's Stephen Schilling and Penn State's Stefen Wisniewski tied for sixth in bench-press reps with 30; Carimi tied for ninth with 29; Ohio State's Justin Boren tied for 14th with 28
• Carimi finished fifth in vertical jump at 31.5 inches; Vandervelde tied for sixth at 31 inches; Wisconsin's John Moffitt tied for eighth at 30.5 inches
• Carimi finished fifth in broad jump at 9 feet, 1 inch; Vandervelde finished tied for 13th at 8 feet, 8 inches
• Vandervelde finished seventh in 3-cone drill at 7.46 seconds; Wisniewski finished eighth at 7.51 seconds; Boren finished 11th at 7.57 seconds
• Moffitt finished sixth in 20-yard shuttle at 4.53 seconds; Vandervelde tied for seventh at 4.59 seconds; Schilling tied for ninth at 4.62 seconds;

Our Big Ten spring preview continues with a look at the Legends Division.

IOWA

Start of spring practice: March 23
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Succession plan for Stanzi: Remember James Vandenberg? The plucky young quarterback who nearly led Iowa to a milestone win at Ohio State in 2009 returns to the spotlight as Iowa looks to replace three-year starter Ricky Stanzi. Vandenberg had only eight pass attempts in 2010, so it'll be interesting to see how he adjusts to a potential featured role. John Wienke and A.J. Derby also will be in the mix.
• A new-look defensive front: Iowa loses three multiyear starters along the defensive line, all of whom likely will go onto the NFL. Mike Daniels and Broderick Binns return, but Iowa must begin building depth around them after not playing a large rotation of linemen in 2010. It'll be a big spring for reserve defensive linemen like Lebron Daniel and Steve Bigach.
• Rhabdo fallout: Iowa expects the 13 players hospitalized last month with rhabdomyolysis to be ready for spring ball, but there are questions about how the group responds to the rigors of practice. Expect the staff to take every precaution to make sure the players are ready to go. Iowa's internal investigation into what happened could reach its conclusion during the spring practice session.

MICHIGAN

Start of spring practice: March 19
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Hoke springs eternal: All eyes will be on new coach Brady Hoke as he oversees his first 15 practice sessions as the leading man in Ann Arbor. Hoke and his staff introduce new offensive and defensive systems, and Hoke likely will spend much of his time with a defense that reached historic lows during former coach Rich Rodriguez's tenure. An adjustment period can be expected, but Hoke wants to get things rolling as soon as he can.
• Denard Robinson: The 2010 Big Ten offensive player of the year thrived in Rodriguez's spread offense. How will he be used in coordinator Al Borges' system? Will Robinson's unique talents still be maximized? After making major strides last offseason, Robinson must continue to grow as he adjusts to a new offense. This is also a big spring for backup quarterback Devin Gardner.
• The move to the 4-3: Michigan is going back to a 4-3 defensive alignment under coordinator Greg Mattison, and the transition begins this spring. The defensive front has to lead the way, and the personnel is there to get it done. The Wolverines are a little thinner at linebacker, but saw some encouraging signs from Kenny Demens this past fall. Others must emerge at the position this spring.

MICHIGAN STATE

Start of spring practice: March 29
Spring game: April 30

What to watch:

• Familiar face, new leadership: Dan Roushar takes over as Spartans offensive coordinator, and while you shouldn't expect many dramatic changes, the veteran assistant will put his personal touch on the system. Roushar wants to fully re-establish the run game Michigan State displayed in the early part of the 2010 season. It'll also be interesting to see how he works with quarterback Kirk Cousins.
• Reloading at linebacker: Michigan State loses two of the more productive linebackers in recent team history in Greg Jones and Eric Gordon. Returning starter Chris Norman will take on an enhanced role, and the spring will be big for younger linebackers like Max Bullough, Steve Gardiner and Denicos Allen.
• Elevating the O-line play: You can bet Roushar will have an eye on his old position group, the offensive line, as it replaces starters at both tackle spots and at center. If Michigan State can get its offensive line play where competitors like Iowa and Wisconsin have it, the Spartans will be Big Ten title contenders for years to come. Michigan State has some nice pieces like veteran guard Joel Foreman, but it must build depth this spring.

MINNESOTA

Start of spring practice: March 24
Spring game: April 23

What to watch:

• A time to Kill. Jerry Kill conducts his first 15 practices as Minnesota's coach and he has no shortage of challenges. He and his assistants must install new systems on both sides of the ball and, perhaps more importantly, get across their expectations for the players going forward. Kill wasn't overly thrilled with his first impression of the squad, so he has a lot of work to do.
• Gray back at QB: After a season playing primarily wide receiver, MarQueis Gray is back at his preferred position of quarterback. Kill and his assistants made no secret of the fact that they see tremendous potential in Gray, a dual-threat signal-caller who could end up being a terrific fit for Kill's offense. It will be interesting to see how much Gray can absorb this spring as he prepares to lead the unit.
• Kim Royston's return: Minnesota's defense got a huge boost when the NCAA somewhat surprisingly granted safety Kim Royston a sixth year of eligibility. Royston, who had a strong season in 2009 before breaking his leg last spring, is ready to go and should provide some much-needed leadership in the secondary. New defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys will be on the lookout for playmakers and leaders this spring, and he'll find one in Royston.

NEBRASKA

Start of spring practice: March 12
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• New vision on offense: Nebraska likely will have a championship-level defense in 2011, but will the offense bounce back from a poor finish to last season? Tim Beck is the man pegged to get things back on track. Coach Bo Pelini promoted Beck to offensive coordinator, and Beck will begin to implement his vision for the unit this spring. Nebraska figures to stick with the spread, but what version Beck wants to use remains to be seen.
• The quarterbacks: Taylor Martinez stiff-armed the transfer rumors, and in January said he looked forward "getting healthy and getting my strength and speed back." The big question: Will he also get his job back as Nebraska's starting quarterback? Martinez can help himself with a strong spring, but Cody Green also is in the mix and things could get very interesting if Bubba Starling decides to stick with football rather than pursue a pro baseball career.
• New faces on staff: In addition to promoting Beck, Pelini hired three new assistants: Corey Raymond (secondary), Ross Els (linebackers) and Rich Fisher (receivers). Raymond takes over a talented group that must replace three standout players, including cornerback Prince Amukamara. It'll be interesting to watch Fisher, who most recently coached in high school and also served as a golf teacher, as he transitions back to big-time football.

NORTHWESTERN

Start of spring practice: March 7
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Rebuilding the defense: Northwestern figures to have one of the Big Ten's top offenses this fall, but there are major issues on the other side of the ball. The Wildcats' defense flat-lined in the final three games, surrendering 163 points and getting dominated at the line of scrimmage. It's a big spring for coordinator Mike Hankwitz, who must fill gaps at spots like linebacker, but more importantly must restore the aggressiveness seen in 2008 and part of 2009.
• The backup QB race: Dan Persa is still rehabbing his surgically repaired Achilles' tendon and won't do much in spring ball. It provides an opportunity for Northwestern to hold an extensive competition to see who backs up Persa this coming season. Kain Colter provided a spark in the bowl game and could be the answer. Evan Watkins needs a bounce-back spring, and Trevor Siemian will be in the mix after redshirting this past fall.
• Here's the kicker: Northwestern loses four-year starting specialist Stefan Demos and will look to identify a replacement this spring. Neither Jeff Budzien nor Steve Flaherty has attempted a field goal in a game -- they have combined for two PAT conversions -- so the race will be wide open. Special teams has cost Northwestern at inopportune times over the years, but it could be an area of strength in 2011 if the kicker situation is sorted out.

Here are three keys for Iowa heading into Tuesday night's Insight Bowl matchup against Missouri:

Pressure Blaine Gabbert: Iowa doesn't have enough firepower to keep up with Missouri in a shootout. The Hawkeyes need their veteran defensive line to get in Gabbert's face all game long. They're tied for third in the Big Ten with 20 sacks and will look for big performances from end Adrian Clayborn and others. If Gabbert has time to throw, Iowa will be in big trouble.

Establish some type of run game: This won't be easy without Adam Robinson, as true freshman Marcus Coker looks like Iowa's only option in the run game. But the Hawkeyes don't want to put Ricky Stanzi in too many obvious passing situations against Missouri's speedy pass rushers. Iowa averaged just 91 rush yards in its final three games and will need to find some gaps in the Tigers' defense to set up the play-action pass.

Avoid special teams miscues: Of all the shocking things out of Iowa's season, the mistakes in the kicking game might be at the top of the list. Iowa simply can't afford breakdowns in this game, especially with a shorthanded offense. Missouri boasts strong specialists but isn't strong in the return game. The Hawkeyes will miss Derrell Johnson-Koulianos on kickoff returns.

The Big Ten bowl season finally kicks off Tuesday night in the Arizona desert, as Iowa faces Missouri for the first time in a century.

Here's a quick preview of the Insight Bowl matchup:

WHO TO WATCH: Iowa defensive end Adrian Clayborn. The senior didn't have the dominant season many expected when he passed up a likely first-round selection in the NFL draft to return to school. But Clayborn certainly has the ability to step up in the spotlight. He proved it in the 2010 Orange Bowl, recording nine tackles and two sacks against Georgia Tech en route to winning game MVP honors. Iowa is short-handed on offense and needs a huge game from Clayborn and a veteran defensive line. Clayborn's ability to pressure Missouri senior quarterback Blaine Gabbert will play a major role in deciding the game.

WHAT TO WATCH: Iowa's short-handed offense. The Hawkeyes will play without record-setting receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and leading rusher Adam Robinson, both of whom are suspended. Given Iowa's end-of-season slide in production, the personnel losses could be especially damaging. This is a huge moment for senior quarterback Ricky Stanzi. He has improved in every statistical category, but his late-game mojo seems to have disappeared. If Stanzi can regain his magic and receive good protection against Missouri's talented defensive ends, he could do some damage.

WHY TO WATCH: The Hawkeyes' response from a rough patch both on and off the field will be fascinating. Iowa dropped its final three regular-season games and then endured the DJK mess and the suspension of Robinson. How will the Hawkeyes respond? They need their seniors on both sides of the ball to display strong leadership, particularly late in the game after blowing fourth-quarter leads in four of five regular-season losses. As disappointing as the season has been, Iowa still can win a third consecutive bowl game for the first time in team history.

PREDICTION: Iowa 21, Missouri 20. Bowl games have brought out the best in Iowa the past two seasons, and despite all the turmoil, I think the Hawkeyes' seniors will put together a good performance. The defensive line harasses Gabbert and forces several miscues, and Stanzi makes enough plays in the passing game to keep Iowa close. After so many close losses, Iowa finds a way to win a nailbiter.

1. Take care of the football. It sounds obvious, but Iowa's offense doesn't look like a unit capable of stringing together 80-yard drives with any kind of consistency. The Hawkeyes are playing without leading receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and leading rusher Adam Robinson. If the Tigers hand the ball over to the Hawkeyes on the Missouri side of the field, playing through those losses becomes a lot easier very quickly. The good news for Missouri is the Tigers have turned the ball over just 16 times in 12 games this season, tied for fewest in the Big 12 with Oklahoma and tied for 15th fewest in the country. Who has the fewest? Iowa, of course. The Hawkeyes have just nine turnovers, tied with Big Ten champion Wisconsin.

2. Establish the screen game with T.J. Moe and Michael Egnew. Missouri has had success doing it more often than not in 2010, but it'll be especially important against a stingy Iowa defense that ranks sixth nationally against the run and 54th against the pass. The Tigers flip it to the edge to Moe and Egnew often as an extension of their running game. Doing so should soften up the middle for the Tigers and allow some double teams on the Iowa defensive line. The screen also gets the ball out of quarterback Blaine Gabbert's hands quickly and minimizes Iowa's biggest asset -- that defensive line. The more five and seven-step drops Gabbert has to take -- be it on third-and-long or otherwise -- the more impact that front four can have.

3. Score early. Iowa's offense ranks just 61st nationally in total offense, and isn't built for big points. The Hawkeyes have scored 20 points just once -- against Indiana -- in their past four games. If Missouri goes up 14-0 in the first quarter or early in the second quarter, you may see a group of inexperienced players around Ricky Stanzi trying to make the big play, or Stanzi himself forcing a few passes. Missouri can comfortably beat Iowa if the Tigers can convince the Hawkeyes that will it take 30 points or more to win. But if Iowa can control the line of scrimmage early and limit the winning score to only 20 points, then the Hawkeyes can take the game.

Missouri has already secured its third 10-win season in four years under Gary Pinkel, as the Tigers prepare to face an Iowa team that lost its last three games. The Tigers enter favored by a field goal, and Iowa is hoping to secure a win to cap a disappointing season that began with legitimate Big 12 title hopes and a top-10 national ranking.

WHO TO WATCH: Missouri receiver T.J. Moe. The Tigers resident slot machine rang up 77 receptions and his 893 yards ranked fourth in the Big 12. The former high school quarterback suffered a broken foot as a freshman in 2009, and had just two catches for 8 yards. As a sophomore, he's emerged as one of the most difficult covers in the conference and the country. If Iowa lets the 6-foot, 200-pounder run free in the secondary, Missouri's offense will start humming and prove difficult to stop. Stopping Moe puts the Tigers a bit out of sync. He's been held to fewer than five catches just twice this season.

WHAT TO WATCH: Missouri's offensive line versus Iowa's defensive line. Headliner Adrian Clayborn didn't put up any record-setting numbers, but the Hawkeyes boast a fearsome front four that can disrupt Missouri's offense with plenty of penetration. Karl Klug and Mike Daniels must be slowed and contained for Missouri to earn a win. If not, expect quarterback Blaine Gabbert's pass attempts to balloon and the Tigers offense to turn one-dimensional.

WHY WATCH: To keep an eye on all the black-and-gold? I kid. The game features plenty of big names in Gabbert and Clayborn, as well as Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi. The Hawkeyes are playing without their top receiver and top running back, but both teams spent time in the top 10 and are the premier programs in their states. It should be quality football, and any time two clashing offenses like Iowa's power game and Missouri's spread get together -- offenses that personify their respective conferences -- there's a little bit more on the line.

PREDICTION: Missouri 27, Iowa 17. The Tigers struggle early on offense, but make a few adjustments to get things rolling in the second half while the Hawkeyes search for reliable options in their own offense.