UNI outlook

[jimdahl]

I know there was some talk of UND's toughest scheduled opponent, UNI, in the thread announcing their addition to the schedule, but as the season draws near it seems worth having a UNI analysis thread.

Former USC receiver Lewis lands at Northern Iowa - ESPN.com

Lewis was one of the top players in Southern California's 2003 recruiting class, which included Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush, Tennessee Titans second-round pick LenDale White and current star receiver Steve Smith. Many recruiting publications had Lewis rated higher than Bush coming out of high school, but things never worked out for him at USC.

UNI football poised to continue successful run - Marshalltown Times-Republican

Rebuilding the defense will be the chore this year. The Panthers lost six of their front seven to graduation.

The secondary will be the anchor with three returning starters led by senior preseason All-American Dre Dokes, who will be starting for the fourth year

UNI fourth in preseason poll - Waterloo Cedar-Falls Courier

Eight months after an appearance in the I-AA national title game, the Northern Iowa Panther gridders will embark upon their 2006 campaign ranked fourth in the nation initially.

The Panthers, who return 12 starters total, received 1,954 total votes in the season's first Associated Press poll, including three number one votes.

[Smoggy]

Sounds like they lost a lot of recievers as well.

I like that they lost so many players on the front of their defense, but I have the feeling the guys coming in have plenty of experience. I'm really thinking we'll just need to keep pounding the ball up the middle. Anybody got some better insight on how good our o-line will be?

[bincitysioux]

As much as I'm looking forward to watching Strouth at RB this year, I think this is a game were Beatty, and the O-Line, has to have a huge day pounding it up the middle. UNI is not a team that we are going to be able to run around. Defense is too fast.

[jimdahl]

UNI program draws a large crop of talent - Des Moines Register

Northern Iowa is flush with talent. Top-drawer players are literally showing up on the UNI-Dome doorstep - one of the spoils, apparently, of playing in the Division I-AA championship game last December.

UNI gridders trying to get up to speed - Waterloo Cedar-Falls Courier

There have been times during the past week when football practice at the University of Northern Iowa has resembled a grade-school fire drill.

There have also been times when the Panthers have looked like the talented and focused team they hope to be when the 2006 season begins in three weeks.

Such is life in August for many college camps, but especially at UNI this preseason where there are as many new faces in the two-deep as there are veterans.