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* Heart of Dallas Bowl, noon: Indiana vs. North Texas. Dan McCarney’s Mean Green get a shot at a major-conference foe.

North Texas football coach Age: 60 Residence: Denton, Texas Dan McCarney grew up in Iowa City, Iowa, played football at the University of Iowa, spent two years as a Hawkeyes' graduate assistant and, at age 24, was hired onto Hayden Fry's first Iowa staff, where his charges eventually included the Stoops brothers. McCarney eventually became head coach at Iowa State, which stood by McCarney soon after his hiring despite reports of domestic battery against his estranged wife. McCarney was fired after 12 seasons despite the most coaching victories (56) in Cyclone history. Now, despite a stroke in 2012 and heart bypass surgery in April, he's starting his third year as head coach at the University of North Texas, the job Fry held before going to Iowa. I feel phenomenal. Doing great. What I like about North Texas, location. High school football unbelievable. Fifth-largest media market in the country. Football is so important in this state. People care, they love it. Is it a religion, is it passion? Label it however you want it. It's fun to go to work where people really care about their football in the state of Texas. This program I stepped into was respected by none. Everybody wanted to play North Texas. They'd count the days until North Texas was on the schedule so they could kick your tail up between your shoulder blades. We want to put ourselves in position to really have a chance to win and bring honor to Conference USA and North Texas. Grew up in Iowa City. Spent 36 years in Iowa City. Dad was chief of police, mom worked at the dental school for 30 years in Iowa. All I knew for a huge chunk of my life. Iowa City was hard, it was tough. I love it, it's a great college town. Read more: http://newsok.com/article/3873170

“I do know, we’re getting more comparable in the way we appear,” Blankenship said. “We’re some bigger kids, faster kids.” * Entry into the new American Athletic Conference in 2014 should be good for Tulsa. Many of the same faces from Conference USA, but some of the sleepy southern schools have been replaced by Cincinnati, Connecticut and South Florida. “Conference USA has been great for us,” Blankenship said. But C-USA changed. Coming into the league are North Texas, Louisiana Tech, Texas-San Antonio, Florida International, Florida Atlantic and Middle Tennessee. “There’s a big difference, going to Orlando (Central Florida) and New Orleans (Tulane) and Memphis, then we’re going to Ruston (La.) and wherever. From a recruiting standpoint, it was a big deal.” Actually, the new C-USA members come from some big markets. Miami, Dallas, San Antone, Nashville. But the caliber of competition will be better in the new conference. Blankenship said conference upheaval really doesn’t affect players. And on the recruiting end, the effect is “probably moreso with parents,” he said. “The best thing I can do is help our team win. I just want us to grow.” * Tulsa went 11-3 last season. Lost at Iowa State 38-23, lost 19-15 at Arkansas and lost 35-27 at SMU. “Five or six plays (difference), we could have been in the Orange Bowl,” Blankenship said. “Five or six or the other way, we could have been in no bowl.” Don’t laugh. He’s right. Northern Illinois made the Orange Bowl with a 12-1 record and a weaker schedule. And TU did skate by with some narrow wins: 27-26 over Fresno State, 49-42 over Alabama-Birmingham, 45-38 at Marshall, 28-24 over Rice, 23-21 and 33-27 in overtime against Central Florida. Read more: http://blog.newsok.com/berrytramel/2013/04/09/tulsa-football-more-from-bill-blankenship/