The question facing North Texas, and it's a big one, is whether last year's 4-8 collapse was a one-year aberration for a program that was a steady riser in Dan McCarney's first three seasons, or if it's a sign of a new direction. As was the case last year, much of what falls out in the next four months will come down to quarterback play. A program that was picked first in Conference USA West coming into 2014 never answered that question adequately, though the job eventually fell to Andrew McNulty. He's back for his senior year, and McCarney has seen enough improvement from him to be optimistic that the struggles of '14 were a blip. "Does he have the biggest gun you've ever seen throwing the ball? No," McCarney said. "Is he the fastest cat who's ever played quarterback? No. But he's got intangibles, he's got heart, he's got toughness, he's got respect and he's got a great understanding of our offense and the way we want to play football." read more: http://www.elpasotimes.com/sports/ci_28568827/mean-green-hoping-bounce-back-after-swoon