Following another disappointing season in the Big 12 Conference, West Virginia head coach Neal Brown finds himself out of a job.
First reported by 247Sports, the Mountaineers have elected to fire Neal Brown after six seasons in Morgantown.
“Coach Brown is a great person, and he has served as a tremendous ambassador for West Virginia University,” West Virginia AD Wren Baker said. “He led our storied program with class and integrity and always put in the hard work necessary to allow for success. We are grateful to Neal, his wife, Brooke, and their children for their contributions to our University, community, and state, and we wish them the very best in their next endeavor.”
Brown was hired to take over at West Virginia following a turbulent end to the Dana Holgorsen era in 2019. Previously, Brown racked up head coaching experience at Troy, where he recorded three straight 10-win seasons. Prior to landing in Morgantown, Brown recorded 35 wins in four seasons, finishing with an overall record of 35-16.
In his first season at the helm, the team finished 5-7, missing bowl eligibility by one game. He failed to eclipse the six-win mark for the next three years before a miraculous turnaround in 2023. Brown posted his best season to date, shocking the world of college football with a 9-4 overall record after being picked to finish dead last in the Big 12 Preseason Media Poll.
Entering the 2024 season, West Virginia became a trendy pick to win the Big 12, thanks to returning stars like Garrett Greene, Jahiem White, and CJ Donaldson Jr., paired with a savvy, veteran defense. That storyline was short-lived, as West Virginia dropped games against Iowa State, Kansas State, Baylor, and Texas Tech, all of whom worked their way into the title hunt.
With the news, Brown now becomes an interesting name in the coaching carousel this offseason. His name has been connected to openings like that of his alma mater, UMass, who is also looking for a new head coach. West Virginia now attacks their offseason coaching search as one of the better destinations available in the cycle.
