Philadelphia, PA -- (Sports Network) - 2007 SEASON IN REVIEW: In 2006, Rice made its first bowl appearance since 1961, so it was understandable why expectations were so high entering 2007. However, under the guidance of first-year head coach David Bailiff, the Owls stumbled to a 3-9 finish and just a 3-5 ledger in Conference USA.

Rice's offense broke nearly 40 school records last season, but the defense simply couldn't stop opposing teams from piling up the points. The Owls kicked off their 2007 campaign on a real low note, as they were downed by FCS member Nicholls State 16-14, before being pounded by three straight Big 12 opponents. To the surprise of many, though, Rice opened C-USA play with a narrow 31-29 road victory over Southern Miss for its first win of the season. The team then suffered a pair of close defeats to Houston (56-48) and Memphis (38-35) before losing out to Marshall by a 34-21 count. In early November, Rice outlasted Texas-El Paso (56-48) and SMU (43-42) for its first and only winning streak, but that was short lived with back-to-back losses to Tulane (45-31) and Tulsa (48-43) to close out the season. The Owls won just one of their six homes games in 2007 and that simply isn't going to get the job done.

OFFENSE: The Owls were explosive on the offensive side of the ball last season and they should be every bit as dangerous in 2008 thanks to the return of several stars, including quarterback Chase Clement. The 6-1, 215-pound senior rewrote the record books at Rice last season, throwing for 3,377 yards and 19 touchdowns while adding another 535 yards and eight scores on the ground. Clement has built a reputation for being a clutch performer and he is one of the vocal leaders of this team as well.

"We're definitely expecting big things. We as a team believe this should be one of the best years that Rice has ever had. But we're looking at it as 12 one-week seasons. We want to be 1-0 each week."

The return of Rice's top four wide receivers, including senior standout Jarett Dillard, will surely help Clement and the rest of the team reach their goals. The 5-11, 190-pound Dillard is one of the most explosive players in the nation and he has developed quite a rapport with Clement, catching 170 passes for 2,304 yards and 35 touchdowns over the past two seasons.

"Jarett Dillard is a phenomenal talent that I think sometimes people start to take for granted because he routinely does incredible things," said coach Bailiff of his star wideout. "I remember the first time I saw him take off, I was amazed that a human could get that high in the air.

While the wideout position is set, the same can't be said about the Owls' backfield. Rice averaged a mere 110 rushing yards per game last season and the team is still in search of an every-down back. Junior C.J. Ugokwe rushed for 263 yards and a score last season and he is in line for a the starting gig, although he will be pushed by sophomore Justin Hill, who went for 321 yards and three scores on the ground a year ago.

The Owls should at least be better at opening holes for whomever is carrying the ball, as four starters on the offensive line are welcomed back from last year.

DEFENSE: Rice was simply abysmal on the defensive side of the ball in 2007, surrendering a whopping 42.9 ppg and an equally as bad 510.0 total ypg. There are plenty of starters back in the fold, but that may not necessarily be a good.

On the line though, the Owls have high expectations for end Scott Solomon, who stood out at times as a freshman last season. The 6-3, 250-pound Solomon made 49 stops, 11 TFLs and 4.5 sacks during his rookie campaign and he has carried over that success into the spring where he has dominated.

Rice returns both linebackers in its 4-2-5 set and that is reason to believe this defense can turn things around. Seniors Brian Raines and Vernon James combined for 155 stops and 15 TFLs a year ago and they figure to make another big impact in 2008.

The secondary is deep and experienced and should improve greatly on the 312 passing ypg it surrendered last season. Junior free safety Andrew Sendejo highlights the group and he is coming off a spectacular 2007 campaign in which led the team with 107 tackles and five interceptions.

SPECIAL TEAMS: The Owls kicking game struggled last season, but redshirt freshman Mark Brundage gives them hope for improvement. Brundage, a walk-on, will handle the punting duties and could possible overtake fellow walk-on Clark Fangmeier for the place kicking responsibilities. Fangmeier converted just 7-of-12 field goal attempts last season and while his leg strength is decent, he needs to improve on his accuracy.

OUTLOOK: The offense will no doubt be among the best in the conference, but can the defense and special teams improve enough to help Rice land a winning campaign?. Expect the senior duo of Clement and Dillard to thrive and provide the leadership that could lift the Owls to a second bowl game in three years.