Pat McAfee put out his first public comments on Sunday, hours after his alma mater, West Virginia, announced its plans to fire head football coach Neal Brown.
McAfee is the most famous media figure with deep ties to the Mountaineers, and it’s clear he wants the program to get this hire right. He’s been a cheerleader for his University since he wrapped up his playing career in 2009.
On Sunday, McAfee put up a post on X, where he teased, “I’ve been on the phone quite a bit… something special is possible. @wrenbaker is in a great spot. I have faith he’s gonna get it right.”
Wren Baker is the West Virginia athletic director who will obviously be in charge of the hiring process.
Who is that “special” person that McAfee cites? Fans can speculate, but here is our list of seven potential replacements for the West Virginia Mountaineers.
We’ll see who McAfee might be thinking. The all-time dream for WVU fans is bringing Nick Saban, McAfee’s castmate on ESPN’s College GameDay and a West Virginia native, out of coaching retirement. But at 73 years old, it seems beyond unlikely. But WVU fans can dream, right? We’re at that stage of a coaching search.
West Virginia Football’s First Target?
The Mountaineers are reportedly already moving to find their next head coach, with Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Koltelnicki set to be interviewed for the opening.
Kotelnicki is no stranger to the Big 12. Before he got to State College after the 2023 season, he was the offensive coordinator under Lance Leipold with the Kansas Jayhawks.
Kotelnicki had worked under Lance Leipold since 2013, and followed him to three different stops along the way, beginning at Wisconsin-White Water for two seasons, at Buffalo for six seasons, and in Lawrence over the last three years.
Penn State ranks second in the Big Ten Conference in yards per game and is fourth in the Big Ten in points per game. The Nittany Lions are also second in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game. Penn State will play in next week’s Big Ten Championship against Oregon, with a bye in the College Football Playoff on the line.
