North Texas full squad going into C-USA debut By STEPHEN HAWKINS

[Harry]

DENTON, Texas (AP) -- When Dan McCarney looks around the North Texas practice field, the coach is finally seeing what most NCAA Division I programs take for granted.

For the first time in McCarney's three seasons, the Mean Green have 85 scholarship players.

''More guys that look like Division I football players,'' McCarney said. ''It's taken quite some time to replenish this roster to get it to where we can be competitive.''

That translates to players, even the 16 returning starters, having to work harder for jobs.

''Where there's been no competition going on in many positions the first two years that I've been here,'' the coach said. ''There were bodies there, but I'm talking about real competition, Division I competition, guys that have a chance to play winning football at this level.''

That comes at a good time with North Texas stepping up to Conference USA after the past 12 seasons in the Sun Belt. The Mean Green won Sun Belt titles and went to bowl games from 2001-04, but won only 13 games the next six years.

McCarney is 9-15 so far. His goal in his third season?

Read more: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/north-texas-full-squad-going-223251562--ncaaf.html

[laxtonto]

4. EARLY AT HOME: The Mean Green play their season opener at home for the first time in 12 years. They play two of their first three games at home, something that also hasn't happened since 2001. They were 7-4 at home the first two seasons in their new stadium - after going 1-16 at home the three years before that.

5. LOVING LONE STAR: North Texas is one of four Texas teams in Conference USA, giving them three games against in-state opponents. The Mean Green played only one Texas opponent in each of the past three seasons. Senior linebacker Zach Orr, who had 108 tackles last season, said they look forward to finally getting to play against ''a lot of guys we played high school with or high school against.''

Ding Ding Ding!! We have a winner!