Neal Brown (born March 11, 1980) is an American
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
coach and former player. He is the head football coach at
West Virginia University
West Virginia University (WVU) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Morgantown, West Virginia. Its other campuses are those of the West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Beckley, Potomac State College ...
. Brown was previously the head coach at
Troy University
Troy University is a public university in Troy, Alabama. It was founded in 1887 as Troy State Normal School within the Alabama State University System, and is now the flagship university of the Troy University System. Troy University is accredi ...
from 2015 to 2018. Brown also previously served as the
offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of an American football or Canadian football team who is in charge of the team's offense. Generally, along with the defensive coordinator and the special teams coordinator, this coach re ...
at Troy (2008–2009),
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sys ...
(2010–2012), and the
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentu ...
(2013–2014).
Early years
Brown attended
Boyle County High School
Boyle County High School is a public high school located in Danville, Kentucky, United States. It serves nearly 900 students in grades 9–12. The school opened to students in the 1963–1964 school year. The school was created to merge the area's ...
in
Danville, Kentucky
Danville is a home rule-class city in Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. It is the seat of its county. The population was 17,236 at the 2020 Census. Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes ...
, where he was an all-state wide receiver.
He played football at the
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentu ...
under head coach
Hal Mumme
Hal Clay Mumme (born March 29, 1952) is a former American football coach and former player. He most recently served as an offensive advisor for the Dallas Renegades of the XFL. Previously, Mumme served as the head football coach at Iowa Wesleyan C ...
and his assistants,
Mike Leach and
Tony Franklin, before transferring to the
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst, UMass) is a public research university in Amherst, Massachusetts and the sole public land-grant university in Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Founded in 1863 as an agricultural college, it ...
.
Coaching career
Early coaching career
Brown started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at
UMass. Before joining
Larry Blakeney
Larry Blakeney (born September 21, 1947) is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Troy University from 1991 to 2014, compiling a record of 178–113–1 in 24 seasons. He is one of only two coaches t ...
's staff at
Troy
Troy ( el, Τροία and Latin: Troia, Hittite language, Hittite: 𒋫𒊒𒄿𒊭 ''Truwiša'') or Ilion ( el, Ίλιον and Latin: Ilium, Hittite language, Hittite: 𒃾𒇻𒊭 ''Wiluša'') was an ancient city located at Hisarlik in prese ...
to work under Tony Franklin, he spent one-year assistant coaching stints at UMass,
Sacred Heart
The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus ( la, Cor Jesu Sacratissimum) is one of the most widely practised and well-known Catholic devotions, wherein the heart of Jesus is viewed as a symbol of "God's boundless and passionate love for mankind". This devo ...
, and
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...
. Following Franklin's departure to
Auburn at the end of the 2007 regular season, Brown was promoted to offensive coordinator at Troy. When he was hired, he became the youngest coordinator in all FBS football.
Texas Tech
On January 12, 2010, Brown was announced as the offensive coordinator at
Texas Tech
Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sys ...
under new
Red Raiders head coach
Tommy Tuberville
Thomas Hawley Tuberville ( ; born September 18, 1954) is an American retired college football coach and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Alabama since 2021. Before entering politics, Tuberville was the head football ...
. During the 2010 football season, the Red Raider offense performed well. During his tenure at
Texas Tech
Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sys ...
, Brown perfected his NASCAR spread offense. The offense created by Brown focused on players running to the line immediately after the play and quickly snapping the ball before the defense could get set. The offense requires speed at every position to be run the way Brown envisions it. The focus of the offense was to snap the ball 8 seconds after the previous play. The 2010 Red Raiders ranked 15th in the country in total offense, 6th in passing offense, and 72nd in rushing offense.
For his coaching performance during the 2011 41–38 upset victory over the then-ranked #3
Oklahoma Sooners
The Oklahoma Sooners are the athletic teams that represent the University of Oklahoma, located in Norman. The 19 men's and women's varsity teams are called the "Sooners", a reference to a nickname given to the early participants in the Land Run ...
, he was recognized by
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting in the United States. The network was started in 1998 and employs more than 300 personnel.
History
Rivals.com was founded in 1998 by Jim Heckma ...
as National Coordinator of the Week.
Brown was considered for the head coaching job at his alma mater, UMass, following the 2011 season. Brown was also considered for the school's head coaching job when it opened following the 2008 season.
Kentucky
On December 9, 2012, it was reported after several weeks of speculation that Brown would return to his home state to coach the offense at Kentucky under new coach
Mark Stoops
Mark Thomas Stoops (born July 9, 1967) is an American college football coach and former player. He is currently the all time winningest head football coach in the history of the Kentucky Wildcats.
Early life
Stoops, one of six children born to ...
.
Troy
Troy announced Brown's hire on Sunday, November 30, 2014. In 2015, Brown's Trojans posted a 4–8 record. Troy was ranked for the first time in the AP top 25 on November 13, 2016, they became the first team from the
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference (SBC) is a collegiate athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Originally a non-football conference, the Sun Belt began sponsoring football in 2001. Its football teams participa ...
to be ranked in the Top 25 and finished the year with a record of 10–3. This was Troy's first 10 win season since joining FBS in 2001. Troy capped of the 2016 season by winning the
Dollar General Bowl
The LendingTree Bowl is a postseason NCAA-sanctioned Division I FBS college football bowl game that has been played annually in Mobile, Alabama since 1999. In 2021, the game was moved from Ladd-Peebles Stadium to Hancock Whitney Stadium, on the c ...
in
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 cens ...
.
In Brown's third season at the helm in 2017, he led Troy to a 3–1 start to begin the season. In the fifth game of the season on September 30, Troy faced #25-ranked
LSU
Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near ...
. With Troy leading in the third quarter by a score of 24–7, LSU began to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter by scoring 14 unanswered points and trailing just 24–21 with less than 30 seconds left in the game. LSU began to move the ball down-field before having only 8 seconds left on the clock. The very next play became an interception for Troy, which sealed the upset victory. The win over LSU snapped the Tigers' 46-game non-conference home winning streak, which was the longest such streak in the country at the time. The Trojans became Sun Belt co-champions after defeating
Arkansas State
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage l ...
in a thriller, 32–25. Troy's 10–2 overall record is the program's best regular season finish since joining the FBS in 2001.
West Virginia
Brown was announced as the 35th head football coach for West Virginia University on January 5, 2019. Coming off an 8-4 (6-3)
2018 season by outgoing coach
Dana Holgorsen
Dana Carl Holgorsen (born June 21, 1971) is the head football coach at the University of Houston. He was the head coach at West Virginia University from 2011 to 2018. During his coaching career he has served under coaches such as Hal Mumme, Mike ...
, West Virginia was predicted to finish 8th out of 10 teams in the Big 12 media poll. After racing out to a 3–1 start to begin the
2019-20 football season, the Mountaineers lost five straight games for the first time since 2012.
Three of the losses came against top-15 teams, No. 11
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
, No. 5
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
, and No. 12
Baylor.
Sitting at 3-6 (1-5) and on the verge of missing a bowl for the first time since 2013, WVU notched its only win against a ranked opponent the following week, winning at No. 24
Kansas State
Kansas State University (KSU, Kansas State, or K-State) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, United States. It was opened as the state's land-grant college in 1863 and was the first public instit ...
. With the win, WVU improved to 4-6 (2-5) and kept its bowl hopes alive. However, a loss against No. 21
Oklahoma State
Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...
dashed their bowl hopes and guaranteed WVU's first losing season in six years. The Mountaineers finished the season with an upset at TCU, denying the Horned Frogs a chance at postseason play.
West Virginia finished 5-7 (3-6) in Brown's first season.
Prior to Brown's second season, offensive coordinator
Matt Moore was promoted to assistant head coach, and was replaced in his role as offensive coordinator by
Penn State #Redirect Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campu ...
wide receivers coach
Gerad Parker
Gerad Michael Parker (born January 4, 1981) is an American football coach and former wide receiver. He is the tight ends coach at Notre Dame. He was previously the offensive coordinator at West Virginia University. Parker played college footba ...
. Defensive coordinator
Vic Koenning
Victor Emanuel Koenning Jr. (born February 26, 1960) is a former professional American football player, and current defensive coordinator at Louisiana–Monroe. He was the interim head coach at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 20 ...
also resigned after allegations of mistreatment by West Virginia players.
Brown promoted three defensive coaches to become co-defensive coordinators in place of Koenning.
For the second straight season, West Virginia was predicted to finish 8th out of 10 teams in the Big 12 media poll. West Virginia was scheduled to open the season against
Florida State
Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
, making their first appearance in the
Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game since 2014. However, the game along with a matchup against rival
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
were cancelled as a results of precautions stemming from the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.
As a result, the Mountaineers opened the
2020-21 season with one nonconference game, a home win over FCS
Eastern Kentucky
Eastern may refer to:
Transportation
*China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai
* Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways
* Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991
* Eastern Air ...
. After a road loss at No. 15
Oklahoma State
Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...
to begin conference play, the Mountaineers recorded two home conference wins over Baylor and Kansas for the Mountaineers' second consecutive 3–1 start. West Virginia traded road losses (
Texas Tech
Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sys ...
, No. 22
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
, No. 9
Iowa State) and home wins (No. 16
Kansas State
Kansas State University (KSU, Kansas State, or K-State) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, United States. It was opened as the state's land-grant college in 1863 and was the first public instit ...
,
TCU) over the following five games to sit at 5-4 (4-4) heading into a December home matchup with No. 11
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
. The game, originally scheduled for November, had been postponed due to positive coronavirus tests within the Sooners program. However, the contest was cancelled entirely after positive coronavirus tests forced WVU to "shut down football operations" for seven days. As a result, WVU finished Brown's second season having played in just nine total regular season games, the fewest for WVU since the
1954 season. However, despite only participating in nine contests, the Mountaineers were eligible for postseason play after the NCAA waived bowl eligibility requirements. West Virginia was invited to participate in the
Liberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in late December or early January since 1959. For its first five years, it was played at Philadelphia Municipal Stadium in Philadelphia before being held at Atlantic City ...
against
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
, marking the Mountaineers' first appearance in the contest since
2014, their first postseason play since 2018, and only the second all-time appearance against the Volunteers. Just one day after the matchup was announced, Tennessee (3-7) announced they had paused all team activities and were unable to compete after several positive coronavirus cases.
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
(9-2), who had accepted an invitation to the
Independence Bowl
The Independence Bowl is a post-season National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)-sanctioned Division I college football bowl game that is played annually each December at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana. The Independence Bowl ...
before it was canceled due to a lack of available teams, was named as their replacement. After falling behind the Black Knights 21–10 with 7:00 left in the 3rd quarter, West Virginia rallied behind two late TD passes from
Austin Kendall to complete the comeback victory, 24–21.
After finishing 6-4 (4-4) in the pandemic-shortened
2020 season, the Mountaineers were predicted to finish sixth out of ten teams in the 2021 Big 12 preseason poll, a marginal improvement over the prior two years' predicted eighth-place finishes. West Virginia opened its non-conference slate with renewed rivalry games in two of its first three contests, against
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
and
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also ...
, respectively. Although the Mountaineers scored three TDs with RB
Leddie Brown and another in the air from QB
Jarrett Doege leading to a 21–20 lead entering the 4th quarter, WVU was unable to overcome committing four turnovers and lost at
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, 24–30. After blanking FCS
Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
66–0 in the Mountaineers' home opener, West Virginia played former conference rival No. 15
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also ...
for only the second time in 16 years and the first time at
Mountaineer Field since 2005. In front of a sellout September crowd, WVU raced out to a 27–7 lead in the third quarter behind two TD passes from Jarret Doege and 161 yards and a score from Leddie Brown. However, after VT erased nearly all of its 20-point deficit, the Mountaineers won on the backs of their defense via a time expiring goal-line stand, and won the
Black Diamond Trophy
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have ...
for the first time since 2003.
It was WVU's first victory over a top-15 team in the Neal Brown era.
Having finished nonconference play at 2–1, the Mountaineers opened conference play on the road against perennial favorite and reigning conference champion,
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
. After opening the contest with a 17-play, 75-yard TD drive, and holding the Sooners to just 91 yards of total offense in the first half, West Virginia led No. 4 Oklahoma, 10–7, on the road at halftime.
However, the Mountaineers were held to just 62 yards in the second half, and lost on a last-second FG, handing the Mountaineers a ninth-consecutive loss to Oklahoma since 2012.
West Virginia then lost its next two conference games against
Texas Tech
Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sys ...
and
Baylor to sit at 2-4 (0-3) entering its mid-October bye week, and in serious jeopardy of missing postseason play for the second time in three years. WVU then went on the road against
TCU. Despite trailing early after the Horned Frogs returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a TD, the Mountaineers recovered behind three Leddie Brown rushing TDs, and racked up 487 yards of total offense to win 29-17 and avoid an 0-4 conference start. West Virginia returned home to face No. 22
Iowa State 5-2 (3-1), who had just upset then-undefeated No. 8
Oklahoma State
Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...
the week before. Despite facing the Big 12's top defense, the Mountaineers earned 492 total yards, Jarret Doege threw for three TDs, and Leddie Brown scored two more TDs on the ground as WVU beat the Cyclones, 38–31, to improve to 4-4 (2-3) on the season. However, the Mountaineers were unable to sustain their late-October success, and dropped back-to-back contests against No. 11 Oklahoma State, and at
Kansas State
Kansas State University (KSU, Kansas State, or K-State) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, United States. It was opened as the state's land-grant college in 1863 and was the first public instit ...
, meaning West Virginia (4-6) (2-5) needed to win their final two games to secure postseason eligibility. West Virginia's next matchup was against
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
, who also found themselves at 4-6 and at risk of missing postseason play for the first time since 2016. In the end, Jarret Doege threw three touchdown passes and Leddie Brown rushed for 158 yards and a score to lead West Virginia to a 31–23 victory over Texas, handing the Longhorns their sixth straight loss and eliminating them from bowl consideration. WVU secured bowl eligibility a week later when Jarret Doege threw for 170 yards and three touchdowns, Leddie Brown ran for 156 yards and another score, and the Mountaineers held off
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
on the road, 34–28. This left the Mountaineers at 6-6 (4-5), securing WVU's second consecutive fifth-place finish. West Virginia was then invited to the
Guaranteed Rate Bowl
The Guaranteed Rate Bowl is an annual college football bowl game that has been played in the state of Arizona since 1989.
Played as the Copper Bowl from inception through 1996, it was known as the Insight.com Bowl from 1997 through 2001, then ...
, marking their first appearance in the contest since 2016. It was West Virginia's first-ever matchup against Minnesota (8-4). The Golden Gophers dominated the contest on defense, holding the Mountaineers to just 206 total yards and one TD.
West Virginia played without leading rusher
Leddie Brown, who opted to skip the bowl game to prepare for the NFL.
Jarret Doege threw for 140 yards and one interception in the losing effort,
which would mark his final game as a Mountaineer, as he and West Virginia's leading receiver, Winston Wright, announced just days later that they were entering the transfer portal.
Head coaching record
References
External links
West Virginia profileTroy profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Neal
1980 births
Living people
American football wide receivers
Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football coaches
Kentucky Wildcats football coaches
Kentucky Wildcats football players
Sacred Heart Pioneers football coaches
Texas Tech Red Raiders football coaches
Troy Trojans football coaches
UMass Minutemen football coaches
UMass Minutemen football players
West Virginia Mountaineers football coaches
Boyle County High School alumni
People from Danville, Kentucky
Coaches of American football from Kentucky
Players of American football from Kentucky