The Neal Brown era at WVU has ended, but fans continue to mention him, sometimes even interpreting comments from current coaches and players as indirect digs at him.
In an effort to quiet any lingering discussions about Brown and allow the fanbase and program to move forward, current head coach Rich Rodriguez took the opportunity to praise his predecessor during his post-practice press conference on Tuesday.
“Neal didn’t get to this level without being a good football coach. He’s a good football coach. There are a lot of factors that go into if you can be successful,” said Rodriguez.
Along with his comments, Rodriguez also asked the media to refrain from asking players who made the transition from Brown’s tenure to compare their experiences from previous years to what they are currently experiencing as Mountaineers.
After finding success at Troy, including three consecutive 10+ win seasons and a memorable victory over LSU, WVU hired Neal Brown as the program’s 35th head coach in 2019.
Unfortunately for Brown, he was never able to replicate that level of success at West Virginia. Over six seasons, the Mountaineers finished 37-35 under his leadership, with three bowl game appearances. The peak of Brown’s tenure came in 2023, when the team finished with nine wins and capped off the season with a victory in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl against North Carolina.
Brown is now serving as a “special assistant to the head coach” at Texas after turning down opportunities at Group of 5 programs throughout the offseason.
Rodriguez, a West Virginia native, boasts a 190-128-2 overall coaching record. His most successful years came during his time leading the Mountaineers from 2001 to 2007, where he won four Big East titles and earned conference Coach of the Year honors twice. He also received a third Coach of the Year award in 2014 while at Arizona in the Pac-12.
However, no matter the wins or accolades, Rodriguez’s first stint at WVU was marred by the way he left—departing for Michigan after the infamous 13-9 loss to Pitt, a defeat that cost the Mountaineers a shot at the BCS National Championship.
After leaving WVU, Rodriguez had a mixed tenure at Michigan, spending three disappointing years there, followed by six seasons at Arizona. His time with the Wildcats included a 10-win season and a trip to the 2014 Fiesta Bowl.
Now, Rodriguez has been given something rare after such a breakup—a second chance. While some fans may still have reservations about welcoming him back, he has the backing of key donors and influential alums like Pat McAfee, Steve Slaton, and Owen Schmitt, among others.
In November 2022, WVSN’s Mike Asti asked WVU legend Rasheed Marshall on an episode of their “All Three Phases” podcast if he would ever want Rodriguez to return as the Mountaineers’ head coach.
For more on the pressure Rodriguez faces in his return to WVU, Mike Asti explores the challenges ahead in a related story.
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