IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Big Ten Network’s annual camp tour to each of the conference’s 14 campuses is another sign that the college football season is approaching.

Wednesday was Iowa’s turn to take center stage and the 2016 West Division preseason favorites didn’t disappoint.

“Great to visit Hawkeye football. Visit reinforces my belief this is team to beat in West,” said the Big Ten Network’s Tom Dienhart on Twitter.

Dienhart also praised the mood and tempo of Iowa’s practice on Wednesday.

“This was the most physical practice I’ve seen on the tour,” Dienhart said. “Plenty of hitting. You can see how Hawkeye football gets its tough edge.”

Gerry DiNardo as a former college head coach is the Big Ten Network’s so-called expert. So what he says carries more weight because it comes from somebody who was the head coach at Indiana, Louisiana State and Vanderbilt.

DiNardo praised Iowa for being solid on both lines, but he also complimented the young receivers, which he hasn’t always done when evaluating the Hawkeyes on tour.

“Some things same as always – quality line play on both sides of ball but something different the quality of young WR.” DiNardo said.

DiNardo mentioned sophomore Jay Scheel, sophomore Ronald Nash, freshman Devonte Young and sophomore Jerminic Smith as young receivers that he expects to play and develop this season.

Fellow analyst Howard Griffith, who played running back at Illinois and in the NFL, praised Iowa for being consistent with its identity and for the amount of teaching that occurred in Wednesday’s practice.

“This is our 10th year and it looks like the first day,” Griffith said.

Griffith expressed confidence in both the offensive and defensive lines and he assumes Iowa will be solid in both areas because that is usually the case under veteran head coach Kirk Ferentz, who is entering his 18th season as the Iowa head coach.

“They just get it,” Griffith said “They figure it out and get it done.”

Ferentz singled out defensive backs Amani Hooker and Manny Rugamba as true freshmen who have a good chance to play this season, along with receiver Devonte Young and possibly a defensive linemen or two and a linebacker or two.

Big Ten Network studio host Dave Revsine had some depth-chart news on Wednesday morning when he said on Twitter that Bo Bower was practicing ahead of Aaron Mends at one of the linebacker positions. Mends has been listed as the starter since the spring, but it appears Bower is making a push to regain a starting position.

Bower started all 13 games as a redshirt freshman in 2014, but the West Branch native didn’t start any games last season.

DiNardo’s biggest concerns about Iowa are whether the defensive ends can apply consistent pressure and whether there is quality depth at linebacker.

Other than that, the visit turned into a Hawkeye lovefest, which makes sense, considering the Big Ten Network has a positive agenda and because Iowa returns more than half of its starters from a team that won 12 games and finished undefeated in the regular season a year ago.

Revsine summed up their visit by affectionately calling it “the same old Iowa.”

He meant that as a compliment because Iowa has earned respect under Ferentz for being predictable in a good way, which is by playing more fundamentally sound than flashy.

Griffith said Iowa isn’t at the same level as Ohio State or Michigan in terms of talent, but the Hawkeyes compensate by playing to their strengths and by being physical at the point of attack.

In addition to Ferentz, Iowa’s big three – quarterback C.J. Beathard, cornerback Desmond King and linebacker Josey Jewell – were all interviewed by the Big Ten Network on Wednesday.

Beathard echoed what he said at the Kids Days practice this past Saturday that he feels great physically, the best he’s felt since before he was injured early last season.

It’s clear from what DiNardo and Griffith observed on Wednesday that Iowa’s practice environment hasn’t changed, but the circumstances have compared to a year ago. Little was expected from Iowa last season, whereas now the Hawkeyes are a heavy favorite to repeat as Big Ten West Division champion.

DiNardo addressed that factor near the end of an hour-long segment about Iowa on the Big Ten Network that was televised for the first time late Wednesday afternoon.

"They are really solid personnel-wise and this is a team that could be better than last year regardless of the record," DiNardo said. "It will be tough for this reason; when you go undefeated in the regular season it does certain things to your own team.

"But it also puts the next year’s team’s opponents on alert. And so everyone who plays Iowa this year, this will be a big game for that opponent. That will be a tremendous challenge for this team."