Neal Brown will be coaching for his job in 2023. What does he have to accomplish to win back the trust of the university and the fanbase?
Morgantown, WV – Neal Brown is squarely on the hot seat going into the 2023 season. Sitting with a 22-25 record (14-21 Big 12), many believe he should have already been replaced as the head man in Morgantown. However, new Athletic Director Wren Baker has decided to examine him for one season before making a decision on which direction the Mountaineer Football program will go.
While many expect West Virginia to “bottom out” in 2023, there is still the possibility that Brown can turn things around. With one of the toughest schedules in the nation, it will not be easy, but also not impossible.
Today, we are going to lay out FIVE THINGS THAT MUST HAPPEN IN 2023 for Neal Brown to save his job, and likely his career. Keep in mind, however, that these are simply our opinions and not what the university will base their decision off of.
- Keep it close in Happy Valley – If Neal Brown wants to make a statement to the nation, playing Penn State close would go a long way in proving he’s still got it. Make the Nittany Lions sweat it out, and you put the Big 12 on notice. A blowout loss, and well, same ole story.
- Beat Pitt – Losing to Pitt two years in a row would simply be inexcusable for Brown. This is the game that will everyone have scheduled, and it will have a primetime ABC audience. A loss here will make the fans extremely restless, and be detrimental to attendance for the remaining home games.
- Beat all four Big 12 newcomers – Losing to any of the newcomers would also be unforgivable for Neal Brown. The Mountaineers are the more seasoned conference members, and obviously the biggest program of them all. Dropping a game to Cincinnati, UCF, Houston, or BYU proves that they are ahead of you. Brown cannot allow that to happen.
- Finish with 7 or more wins – A 6-6 season could get Brown fired. He has yet to win more than 6 games in a season in Morgantown. Even a 7-5 mark will show improvement for a relatively young roster. Finish with a winning record or face the consequences.
- Make staff changes, if needed (and don’t hire more of your friends) – If the Mountaineers struggle in any area in 2023, Brown has to show that he is serious enough about winning that he makes change. Should he have to make change, hiring more of his “buddies” also cannot be accepted. Neal Brown has to prove that he is willing to make the hard decisions.
(Photo by WVU Athletics)
