The University of Iowa football team will be tough on the Cyclones this year.

They always are.

With an overall record of 33-12, including a current winning-streak of 15 games, the Hawkeyes are a formidable challenge every year.

What won’t be quite so hard this season is looking into the Iowa backfield and missing the likes of Tavian Banks and Tim Dwight.

Banks, the 1998 Big 10 rushing leader, ran off 127 yards against ISU last season, including four touchdowns.

Dwight, the Hawkeyes’ former multi-sport, multi-position all-star managed 187 yards receiving last year in Ames, with three TDs.

All told, Iowa has lost 11 starters from their underachieving 1997 squad which finished at 7-5.

Besides Banks and Dwight, both of whom are now in the NFL, the Hawks will be without quarterback Matt Sherman, receiver Damon Gibson, offensive linemen Mike Goff, Jon LaFleur and Jeremy McKinney, defensive end Jason House and defensive backs Ed Gibson, Kerry Cooks and Plez Atkins.

Despite the heavy loss of talent, there is no reason to feel sorry for Iowa.

Still ranked far above the Cyclones in every preseason poll imaginable, the University of Iowa will field another competitive Big 10 team.

The strength of the ’98 Hawkeyes is a solid interior on both sides of the ball.

Their offensive line averages 288 pounds, comparable in size to the Cyclone line. Unlike the Cyclone line, though, the Hawks return four players with starting experience.

Guards Matt Reischl and Chad Deal, center Derek Rose and Chris Knipper all return after solid performances in ’97.

These were the guys who opened the massive holes that Banks could have crawled through for four touchdowns.

On the defensive side, the Hawkeyes return five veteran run-stoppers.

Leading the charge is defensive tackle Jared DeVries, the 1997 Big 10 Defensive Lineman of the Year and a 1998 preseason All-American.

DeVries already holds the Hawkeye records for tackles for loss (60), tackles for loss yardage (318), sacks (33) and sack yardage (254).

Don’t expect too many tackles from Jared on Saturday, though. As every Hawkeye opponent will attempt this season, the Cyclones will do their best to run as far away from him as possible.

Complementing DeVries on the line are nose guard Aron Klein, who managed 66 tackles last year, and defensive end Jeff Kramer, considered by many to be the best Hawkeye end since Andre Tippett.

At linebacker, the Hawks feature Seniors Vernon Rollins and Matt Hughes, arguably the best linebacker tandem in the Big 10.

Rollins, a two-year starter leading into last season, suffered a season-ending knee-injury against Iowa State. Vernon should be back at nearly 100% for the ’98 season.

Hughes filled the gap that Rollins left last year and recorded 110 tackles to lead the team. Eleven of those tackles came against the Cyclones in a game in which Matt earned defensive MVP honors.

Also a strength of the ’98 Hawkeyes are their special teams.

Punter Jason Baker, who booted a kick 76 yards in last season’s Sun Bowl, is above average and kicker Zach Bromert is adequate.

The true special teams strength of the Hawkeyes is on their punt and kick return units.

The speedy Kahlil Hill proved just how tough the return could be last week against Central Michigan.

Hill returned a first-quarter punt 62 yards for a touchdown and later returned the opening kickoff of the second half 88 yards for another score.

Hill could have a field day against a Cyclone team that has traditionally been weak when it comes to kick coverage. Tutu Atwell of the Minnesota Golden Gophers exploited the Cyclones last season on two kickoff returns, going 89 and 93 yards for two scores.

The weaknesses, or more appropriately the question marks, of the 1998 Iowa team are only due to inexperience. They have quality personnel at every position.

At quarterback, Senior Randy Reiners is still battling Freshman Kyle McCann for the starting role he lost on Saturday. McCann entered the game in the third quarter and led Iowa to a 38-0 victory, completing 5-of-7 passes for 148 yards and a touchdown.

The Hawkeye signal-callers may still not know who will be starting this weekend’s contest.

Iowa is also very green at running back and receiver.

Despite their solid offensive line, the Hawkeyes managed only 74 yards of rushing offense on Saturday.

Rob Thein, who had 391 yards last year, picked up 35 yards on seven carries against the Chippewas.

Ladell Betts averaged over seven yards a carry, running nine times for 64 yards and two touchdowns. However, two of his carries accounted for 63 yards. The other seven totaled only one yard.

The Hawkeye receiving corps was a big question mark going into the game, but got the job done against Central Michigan in a big way.

Ryan Barton led the inexperienced group with four catches for 128 yards.

The position that should provide the biggest headaches for Coach Hayden Fry and his team is the defensive backfield.

Free safety Eric Thigpen is the only returning starter from last year’s secondary. He brings 67 tackles and three interceptions to the team.

Joe Slattery, Tarig Holman and Matt Bowen will be listed as the starters at the other three position, but Fry will likely use a liberal rotation.

In fact, there is even speculation that the Hawkeyes will implement an unorthodox “shuffle” in their secondary, rotating players among the four positions in a fashion similar to volleyball.

Despite these perceived weaknesses, the Hawkeyes will not have any major flaws that Coach Dan McCarney and the Cyclones can really exploit.

When Iowa State reaches Kinnick Stadium, they’ll certainly have their hands full.