Morgantown, West Virginia – Rumors of West Virginia Head Coach Neal Brown departing Morgantown to become the next Head Coach at the University of South Carolina have really picked up in the past 12-24 hours.
Brown is now considered a favorite by not just fans on message boards but also allegedly from the administration at South Carolina. South Carolina wants an experienced, proven coach that is young and is a program-builder. Brown checks all of those boxes and more.
So there’s definitely at least some interest from South Carolina. What remains to be seen is whether Neal Brown has any interest at all. While a move from West Virginia to South Carolina seems like a lateral move at best, it is an SEC school and perhaps the Vic Koenning situation in the offseason (or a number of other things) has soured Brown on WVU.
The other candidate who the Gamecocks have zeroed in on is Shane Beamer, son of former Virginia Tech Head Coach Frank Beamer, who is currently the Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends and H-Backs Assistant Coach at Oklahoma. Beamer, 43, is a an up-and-comer in the profession, was an assistant under Steve Spurrier at South Carolina from 2007-2010 and has reportedly already interviewed for the position, but he lacks head coach experience.
Neal Brown makes a lot more sense for the University of South Carolina right no than Beamer, but the difference is that Beamer is absolutely interested in the position and it’s completely unknown whether Brown is or not.
Clint Brewster and Brad Crawford, writers for 247 Sports in the SEC, seem to think that Brown to South Carolina is a real option.
Brewster posted the following message on social media moments ago: “Hearing that West Virginia Head Coach Neal Brown is the other candidate that South Carolina is focused on right now besides Shane Beamer.”
Crawford added, “Neal Brown would be an excellent hire for South Carolina. A really hot name when West Virginia got him and a winner as a head coach.”
Hearing that West Virginia HC Neal Brown is other candidate that South Carolina is focused on right now besides Shane Beamer
— Clint Brewster (@clintbrew247) November 29, 2020
Neal Brown would be an excellent hire for South Carolina. A really hot name when Wedt Virginia got him and winner as a HC.
— Brad Crawford (@BCrawford247) November 29, 2020
