3 For Thursday

Is Saturday a Must Win for Coach McCarney?

In my mind the answer is yes and here is why:

1. The fan base fractured right now. They just don’t trust the Coach and his Offensive Coordinator Mike Canales. The offense has always seemed flawed and behind the times. McCarney preached to whoever would listen to him that his starting QB play would be better this year. He told the fans that McNulty is the guy for the job, because he makes the best decisions, knows the play book, won’t turn the ball over, etc… Yet when the bullets were flying Saturday night McNulty failed at all the above. He missed reads; missed wide open WR’s; turned the ball over; and looked exactly like the 2014 QB. McNulty’s play along with an offense that looked inept sent the Mean Green fan base into an up roar during and after the game. North Texas fans aren’t dumb they know what seemingly every other college football program is doing these days. The fan base sees other programs setting records for offense. This fan base sees TCU, Houston, SMU, Baylor, Texas A&M and says why not us Coach? Why can’t we be that successful on offense. Don’t we recruit the state of Texas that has tons of spread offensive play makers at the high school level? Why can’t we land a spread Texas High School QB? This fan base wants to see progress not a regression. They can live with winning or losing with DaMarcus Smith, but rolling McNulty out there on Saturday and watching him struggle may send the fans towards the exits. Coach McCarney and Coach Canales better figure out how to put a winning product together on offense or things will get real ugly.

2. It’s a conference game and it’s the first conference game. Even though week one was a disappointing loss there is still hope. North Texas can still rebound and put together a conference run. It all starts with winning a huge match-up Saturday against Rice.

3. It’s a home game and Coach Mac reps that decent 16-7 home record everywhere he goes. He can’t afford to lose a home game to an in state conference opponent and recruiting foe. It’s a must win. North Texas has only 5 home games thanks to its Athletic Director, and they better win all of them if they want to go to a bowl game this year.