No more than two years ago, North Texas football coach Dan McCarney was tossed into an overwhelming mess. In many ways, it’s the same kind of mess that Idaho coach Paul Petrino finds himself in a day before his inaugural game as a collegiate head coach.
McCarney’s first season as coach of the Mean Green came after four seasons of utter disappointment, when UNT combined to go 8-40. Petrino’s situation isn’t nearly as desperate, yet the stakes are just as high.
The ex-Arkansas offensive coordinator comes into a program that won three of its last 24 games.
More than anything, Petrino is a firm believer in on-field execution. But don’t think that Idaho will claim the victory without the same level of execution coming from the sideline.
Petrino doesn’t.
“There will be some things during the game where I have to do a good job of understanding and staying focused and doing a great job on one play after another — but it’s what I’ve been training to do since I could walk,” Petrino said.
Saturday’s opener, which kicks off at 6 p.m. PDT at Denton’s Apogee Stadium, will be a curious match-up, especially from the perspective of a North Texas squad still unsure who the Vandals will start at quarterback.
Petrino, who jokingly threw around the idea of using six quarterbacks after a few reports claimed the Mean Green would utilize three, drew praise from UNT’s third-year coach.
“We know very little obviously and that’s the advantage a new staff has and I don’t blame coach Petrino for keeping it quiet and close to the vest and he’s a real quality coach …” McCarney said.
Simply based on statistics, most assume the Vandals will go with redshirt freshman Chad Chalich, who completed 90 percent (36-of-40) of his passes during the team’s two fall scrimmages.
Petrino hasn’t ruled out the option of a multi-quarterback system that could see junior college transfer Josh McCain enter the game if called upon. The older McCain possesses more speed than Chalich and showcased his strong arm on multiple occasions during Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s practices. Senior Taylor Davis would be a third option at the position.
Contrary to the Vandals, the Mean Green have announced a starter at the position and will run with senior gunslinger Derek Thompson. While UNT favors a ground and pound offensive system, the Mean Green offensive line allowed just six sacks last season, leading the nation in that category. In nine separate games, the line didn’t allow a single sack.
After telling the media one week ago that the Vandal defensive line needs to, “Be crazy,” defensive end Quinton Bradley rephrased himself Wednesday after initially admitting that the mission was to “hurt their quarterback.”
“Not hurt him, but hit him a lot,” Bradley said. “Whoever he is, wherever he is, he’s going to get hit … Just cause they gave up only six sacks last year, doesn’t mean that he’s going to give up seven versus us.”
It comes as no surprise that the Vandals are Saturday’s underdog. The term has, more or less, summarized Idaho’s last couple of years under former coach Robb Akey.
But Petrino comes from a wining background. Just ask the coach who will be opposite him Saturday afternoon.
“He’s won wherever he’s been,” McCarney said. “I’m sure he’s already had a major impact in that community and on that campus with that football team.”
It doesn’t mean that McCarney will be sympathetic toward Idaho when the old Sun Belt mates meet for the first time since 2004.
That’s not part of Texan nature.
“I think they play hard, I mean they’re a bunch of kids from Texas so they’ve grown up playing football their whole life, they like football,” Petrino said. “If you had to characterize them as something, they’re a physical team.”
That’s not to say that the Vandals don’t know a thing or two about the nature of Texas football.
“It’s not even that hot,” said Bradley, a San Antonio native.
What advice does the Vandals’ outspoken defensive end have for the rest of the team?
“Drink a lot of fluids and don’t come out until 5,” Bradley said.
Theo Lawson can be reached at [email protected]