North Texas braces for LSU

[Harry]

McCarney said he expects LSU to give Mettenberger a chance to show what he can do for a variety of reasons, including North Texas' own lack of experience at cornerback.

''What we're trying to do right now is be ready for what we keep hearing, which is they're going to be throwing the ball deep,'' McCarney said. ''They're going to take shots. Why wouldn't you? ... Both of our starting corners right now have never started a game.''

Still, Miles has said he won't veer too far from his run-first philosophy, and McCarney believes him.

''The things you never get away from at LSU is the (physicality) of the football team and running the football,'' McCarney said. ''I know it firsthand, and I know how physical they are. It starts up front on the offensive line. Les Miles played on the offensive line. He coached offensive line forever in his career as an assistant.

''They're going to come off the ball on the snap of the ball and hit you right in the mouth and play physical football,'' McCarney said. ''It's always been that brand of football with coach Miles.''

Then there's the matter of how North Texas will try to move the ball against and LSU defense that still has a talented secondary - even after the dismissal of former Heisman finalist Tryann Mathieu - and perhaps the most feared defensive end tandem in college football: Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo.

It could be a long day for North Texas junior quarterback Derek Thompson. Other than receiver Brelan Chancellor, who is also a threat in the return game, North Texas does not have a lot of proven skill players on offense and virtually no experience at running back.

Whatever happens, McCarney hopes his players will handle it with more pride than he saw after their 41-0 loss at Alabama last year, when he noticed defensive players in the back of the bus light-heartedly talking about the experience of playing in a packed and electric Bryant-Denny stadium, and who did not seem terribly upset about losing.

''The environment was more important to talk about and what was happening out there, and giggling and laughing, rather than getting spanked ... and embarrassing yourself and the football program,'' McCarney said. ''If we happen to lose this year, do I think that's going to happen on the back of our buses? No. I think we've matured and I think we've come a long ways.''

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