The West Virginia Mountaineers played the program’s first bowl game without Neal Brown since 2019, dropping a 42-37 thriller to Memphis in a game that came down to the final moments.
The game was a perfect synopsis of Brown’s tenure with the Mountaineers, with WVU playing well enough to make things interesting, but ultimately not good enough to come out with a win. The West Virginia fan base is ecstatic about getting Rich Rodriguez, as they should be, but before that era could begin, the ‘Eers had to put the final touches on the Neal Brown era in Morgantown.
During pregame warmups, several of Brown’s former players came out onto the field wearing “Neal Breezy” shirts, which were created by linebacker Trey Lathan during the offseason.
Things might not have gone how they’d wanted, but there’s little evidence to support the idea that Brown wasn’t a beloved part of the WVU program, and the Morgantown community.
His players and staff genuinely loved to play for and work with Brown, and last night’s gesture was merely the players’ way of showing respect to the coach who led their program for the past half-decade.
Despite the loss, several players had standout games for the Mountaineers, perhaps none more noteworthy than Garrett Greene. In his final game with the Maize and Blue, Green threw for a season-high 328 yards and two touchdowns, while also adding 95 yards and a score on the ground.
Ultimately, West Virginia ends the 2024 season with a 6-7 record, but can now turn their attention toward building a contender for 2025 and beyond under a new, and promising regime.
