AUSTIN, Texas — Mack Brown already knows he’s getting $100,000 on Saturday.It’s a tidy little bonus written into a new contract approved this week just ashe starts his 10th season as Texas coach.

The money’s nice, but considering the millions he already makes and the $3million in bonuses the new deal gives him for just sticking around until 2010,his bigger concerns are about is his team.

Such as how his new offensive line will perform in Saturday night’s seasonopener against Arkansas State.

And how well his rebuilt secondary will stop the pass, something Texascouldn’t do last season.

The Longhorns enter the season ranked No. 4 but still have plenty of kinksto work out if quarterback Colt McCoy and company plan to make a run for asecond national championship in three years.

If Texas can find a way to get to the Bowl Championship Series title game inJanuary, Brown may earn himself yet another restructured contract and a few moremillions, making that $100,000 no more than chump change.

But the BCS is just like the lottery: You gotta be in it to win it. So firstthings first.

The season opener, even against an overmatched opponent, “sets the tone andsets the standard for the whole year,” said McCoy, who tied an NCAA freshmanrecord with 29 touchdown passes last season.

“There is still this element of unknown because we’re still not sure aboutthose positions,” Brown said. “Until you get them out on the field againstsomebody else, you are never really sure how people will respond or react.”

Texas’ two biggest problems last season — lack of a productive running gameand disastrous pass defense — killed the Longhorns’ chances to repeat as Big 12champions as they finished 10-3.

McCoy played behind a veteran line last season. The line will have three newstarters Saturday night, although talent could offset inexperience.

“I think we started gaining chemistry and momentum in the spring,” saidsenior left tackle Tony Hills, one of the returning starters. “Guys had tolearn to play with one another.”

Another trouble spot has been at receiver, not because of a lack of talentbut because of injuries.

All of McCoy’s top pass catchers are back from last season, but BillyPittman (shoulder) is out and Jordan Shipley (hamstring) likely won’t playSaturday. Limas Sweed, who caught a school-record 12 TDs last season, is justnow coming back after spraining his left wrist.

“I can fall on it, land on it, I can catch with it,” Sweed said. “I feelvery good.”

Texas has just as many questions about the defense, which ranked among thebest in the country against the run last season but gave up huge chunks of yardspassing and nearly two dozen touchdown passes.

Duane Akina, who has tutored the defensive backs, including the last twoThorpe Award winners, is now calling the plays as co-defensive coordinator. Hehad to rebuild the secondary with three new starters and a defensive line thatlost its two best pass rushing ends.

Akina, who has been on the Texas staff since 2001, earned Brown’s trust torun the defense with an aggressive game plan in last season’s Alamo Bowl winover Iowa.

“I really am as excited about Saturday as I have ever been,” Brown said.”It is like we have never won a game before and now it is starting over.”

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