(AP Photo/Kathleen Batten)
Morgantown, West Virginia – There was a lot of smoke surrounding Neal Brown – and possibly Shane Lyons – being fired by West Virginia University today. However, nothing has materialized yet.
In fact, it was an incredibly quiet day in Morgantown today.
With that said, Neal Brown is certainly not in the clear yet. Several people close to the athletic department have informed us that the decision to fire Brown has already been made and that the university is working out the details now. So while Brown is still the head coach of the Mountaineers right now, him being fired is a matter of when not if.
The other rumor that has gained steam is that veteran assistant coach/current defensive analyst for West Virginia could be named the interim head coach if/when Brown is eventually fired.
While most people – myself included – believe that Brown will not be the head coach of the Mountaineers when West Virginia hosts the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday, there is a chance that Lyons is holding off on firing Brown until the team is officially out of bowl contention.
With a 3-6 record, the very best West Virginia can currently finish is 6-6, which is extremely unlikely. If the Mountaineers lose to Oklahoma this Saturday, they will officially be bowl ineligible. This is perhaps Lyons’ best chance at saving face at this point. His excuse for not firing Brown until then would be that he was simply letting the season play out and not making a decision until it was clear that the Mountaineers weren’t going to go to a bowl game.
Tomorrow, Monday, will tell us much more. If no announcement is made, Brown will likely somehow manage to survive the week and will coach one more game. However, if that’s the case, losing against Oklahoma and not making a bowl game would almost certainly be the final nail in the coffin for Neal Brown in Morgantown.
Something to consider: Egomaniacs like Shane Lyons don’t go down easily. Firing Neal Brown would essentially be him admitting that he was wrong when he gave Brown an extension, which could mean the end of his time at #WVU.
— The Voice of Morgantown (@voicemorgantown) November 7, 2022
It’s shocking that we’re even having this discussion, but if Neal Brown isn’t fired tonight or tomorrow, the decision may be delayed until the team is officially out of bowl contention. If/when the Mountaineers lose to Oklahoma on Saturday, they can’t make a bowl game. #WVU
— The Voice of Morgantown (@voicemorgantown) November 7, 2022
Where there’s smoke, there’s generally fire, and everyone is now saying the same thing: Neal Brown is gone, Jeff Casteel will be the interim head coach and a decision is still being made about Shane Lyons. #WVU
— The Voice of Morgantown (@voicemorgantown) November 6, 2022
