Welcome Neal Brown!

Neal Brown, one of six FBS coaches to win 10 or more games in each of the last three years, has been named West Virginia University’s 35th head football coach, as announced today.

Brown has spent the last four years as the head coach at Troy University, compiling a 35-16 record, including 3-0 in bowl games. The Trojans posted a 31-8 record (.795) over the past three seasons, tied for the highest winning percentage nationally among non-power 5 schools. They have won 17 of their last 20 games and 22 of their last 26. After directing the Trojans to the 2017 Sun Belt Conference Championship, Brown was honored as the league’s coach of the year.

In 2018, Troy finished 10-3, including a victory over Buffalo in the Dollar General Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. The Trojans finished 7-1 in conference play and won five of the last six games to finish the year.

2018 Dollar General Bowl Champions

Led by Neal Brown, Troy won its school record fourth-straight bowl game, 42-32, in a come-from-behind victory over Buffalo in the Dollar General.

Troy broke the 10-win threshold for the third-straight season after a dominating second-half performance that limited Buffalo to just 8:11 of possession.

2017 R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Champions

The Troy offense accounted for 435 total yards, while the defense recorded six sacks as Troy systematically dismantled North Texas, 50-30, in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.

Troy set the New Orleans Bowl record and the school's bowl record for points in a game as Troy finished the season with 11 wins for the eighth time in school history.

2016 Dollar General Bowl Champions

The Troy defense forced five Ohio turnovers and never trailed as the Trojans defeated the Bobcats, 28-23, in the Dollar General Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

Troy finished the season 10-3 marking the first time in the school's FBS history that it reached the 10-win plateau. The Trojans finished with a six-win improvement from 2015 which was tied for the best turnaround in the country.

2019 Season Tickets

Mountaineer fans looking to secure new season tickets for the start of the Neal Brown era at Milan Puskar Stadium in 2019 can do so now by placing a $100 season ticket deposit at WVUGAME.com.

WVUGAME.com

What They're Saying

E. Gordon Gee, WVU President

I am pleased to welcome Neal Brown and his family to West Virginia University. Having met with Coach Brown over the last few days, we are confident he is a good fit for our University, our football program and our state. He is a well-respected man of purpose and integrity and has a strong, exciting vision to lead our football program to unprecedented places. There is a new energy at our University within our football program, and I am excited for the future.

Shane Lyons, WVU Director of Athletics

I am excited that Neal Brown and his family have decided to call West Virginia University their next home. When I started this national search, I learned very quickly that he checked all the boxes of what I was looking for in our next football coach. There is no question that the Mountaineers are West Virginia’s team, and I know our fans are going to love his energy, passion, work ethic and excitement that he is going to bring to our program. I look forward to working together and supporting him and his staff to bring championships to Morgantown.

Stewart Mandel, The Athletic

West Virginia, despite being last to come open, may have won this coaching carousel.

Barrett Sallee, CBS Sports

An absolute home run for West Virginia. Neal Brown is one of six coaches who have 10 or more wins in each of the last three seasons (Nick Saban, Dabo Swinney, Urban Meyer, Chris Petersen, Bryan Harsin).

Larry Blakeney, Former Troy Head Coach

He’s one of my all-time favorites. He stood up and made a name for himself. He’s a guy that will be successful wherever he wants to be. I can’t say enough good things about the man and what he did at Troy. He took charge and drove that thing home.

Mark Schlabach, ESPN

I think West Virginia hit an absolute home run in Neal Brown. He's a disciple of Hal Mumme's and Mike Leach's Air Raid offenses, and his style of offense is tailor made for the Big 12. He's one of the youngest coaches in the FBS and is only going to get better with experience.

Jake Trotter, ESPN

Neal Brown has a tremendous reputation in administrative and coaching circles. And West Virginia was one of the winners of this coaching carousel.

Berry Tramel, The Oklahoman

Neal Brown checks all the boxes for the Mountaineers. Young (38) and energetic. Quality head coaching experience, with restoring Troy's status as a mid-major power (wins over LSU and Nebraska, and a 30-24 loss at eventual 2016 national champion Clemson). Geography (grew up in Danville, Kentucky, less than 150 miles from West Virginia). Played for Hal Mumme and Mike Leach at Kentucky and thus keeps the Air Raid tradition going strong in Morgantown.

Kirk Bohls, Austin American-Statesman

There's no sure thing in coaching hires, but Neal Brown comes as close as there is. I thought Texas Tech would take a hard look at him, and West Virginia pulled the trigger on a young, up-and-coming coach who has owned the Sun Belt recently. Any coach who can win at LSU and at Nebraska and play a physical brand of football with a strong offense -- always necessary in this league -- will get the attention of recruits and opposing coaches in the Big 12. This is a good fit. I'll be stunned if he doesn't have success in Morgantown.
Brown Family

The Brown Family

Neal

Brooke

Adalyn

Anslee

Dax

Career Timeline

  • UMass

    2003
    Tight Ends/Offensive Line

  • Sacred Heart

    2004
    Quarterbacks/Wide Receivers

  • Delaware

    2005
    Wide Receivers

  • Troy

    2006-07
    Inside Receivers

  • Troy

    2008-09
    Offensive Coordinator

  • Texas Tech

    2010-12
    Offensive Coordinator

  • Kentucky

    2013-14
    Offensive Coordinator

  • Troy

    2015-18
    Head Coach

  • West Virginia

    2019-present
    Head Coach

Career Record

Year School Position Record Conf. Record Conf. Finish Postseason
2003 UMass Tight Ends/Offensive Line 10-3 8-1 T-1st FCS First Round (L)
2004 Sacred Heart Quarterbacks/Wide Receivers 6-4 3-4 T-4th
2005 Delaware Wide Receivers 6-5 3-5 T-4th (South)
2006 Troy Inside Receivers 8-5 6-1 T-1st New Orleans Bowl (W)
2007 Troy Inside Receivers 8-4 6-1 T-1st
2008 Troy Offensive Coordinator 8-5 6-1 1st New Orleans Bowl (L)
2009 Troy Offensive Coordinator 9-4 8-0 1st GMAC Bowl (L)
2010 Texas Tech Offensive Coordinator 8-5 3-5 5th (South) TicketCity Bowl (W)
2011 Texas Tech Offensive Coordinator 5-7 2-7 9th
2012 Texas Tech Offensive Coordinator 8-5 4-5 T-5th Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas (W)
2013 Kentucky Offensive Coordinator 2-10 0-8 7th (East)
2014 Kentucky Offensive Coordinator 5-7 2-6 6th (East)
2015 Troy Head Coach 4-8 3-5 T-5th
2016 Troy Head Coach 10-3 6-2 T-3rd Dollar General Bowl (W)
2017 Troy Head Coach 11-2 7-1 T-1st New Orleans Bowl (W)
2018 Troy Head Coach 10-3 7-1 T-1st (West) Dollar General Bowl (W)
Career Head Coaching Totals 35-16 (.686) 23-9 (.719)

Bowl Games

Dollar General Bowl

2018

Troy 42
Buffalo 32

New Orleans Bowl

2017

Troy 50
North Texas 30

Dollar General Bowl

2016

Troy 28
Ohio 23

Texas Bowl

2012

Texas Tech 34
Minnesota 31

TicketCity Bowl

2011

Texas Tech 45
Northwestern 38

GMAC Bowl

2010

Central Michigan 44
Troy 41

New Orleans Bowl

2008

Southern Miss 30
Troy 27

New Orleans Bowl

2006

Troy 41
Rice 17

Accomplishments

Most Takeaways Since 2015, FBS

Utah

Troy

Washington

Memphis

Wisconsin

Highest Winning Percentage Since 2016, Non-Power 5

Troy

UCF

Boise State

Appalachian State

Army