Neal Brown was the former football head coach at Troy University (2015 to 2018) and West Virginia University (2019 to 2024).
On December 2024, WVU abruptly ended Brown’s contract after a 52-15 loss at Texas Tech. Brown coached the Mountaineers for six years and was a beloved member of the team, so the decision took many by surprise—especially since WVU had recently extended Brown’s contract through 2027. So, what exactly happened?
This article discusses everything you need to know about Neal Brown, including his early career, coaching performance, and what led to his dismissal in December 2024.
Early Life and Education
Neal Brown was born on March 11, 1980, in Louisville, Kentucky. His mother, Peggy, worked as a school librarian while his father, Tom, was a coach, teacher, administrator, and principal at Boyle County High School. He was raised alongside his sister, Beth, who currently works as a lawyer.
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Brown lived in Bardstown, Kentucky, for most of his preteen years before moving to Danville, Kentucky. He attended Boyle County High School, where he played as an all-state wide receiver and became one of the most talented players in the state. By the time he graduated, Brown was regarded as the No. 2 receiver in Kentucky state history.
He began his collegiate career at the University of Kentucky, playing as the Wildcat’s wide receiver from 1998 to 2000. He participated in two bowl games and earned recognition on the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll.
In 2001, Brown transferred to the University of Massachusetts Amherst and played as a wide receiver for two years. During that time, he was named to the NCAA Division I-AA Athletic Directors’ Academic All-Star team and earned Atlantic 10 All-Academic honors.
He graduated from UMass in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in business management and later earned his master’s in business administration in 2005.
Career
Brown began his coaching career with several assistant positions, working at UMass (2003), Sacred Heart (2004), and Delaware (2005).
He then returned to Troy University in 2007, where he became the youngest offensive coordinator in FBS football. He held the position for two years before moving to Texas Tech University in 2010 as an offensive coordinator under head coach Tommy Tuberville.
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It was during this period that Brown perfected his NASCAR spread offense, a high-tempo, fast-paced offensive scheme that maximized the number of play runs in a game. Under his mentorship, the 2010 Red Raiders ranked 6th in passing offense, 15th in total offense, and 72nd in rushing offense nationally—the highest the Red Raiders had ranked at the time.
Brown’s contributions earned him the title of National Coordinator of the Week by Rivals.com.
Troy University
When given the opportunity to coach Troy Univerisity’s Trojans on November 30, 2014, Brown took it without a second thought.
The 2015 season under Brown’s leadership wasn’t the best, finishing with a 4-8 record. But the tides turned in 2016, with the Trojans ending the year with an impressive 10 wins and 3 losses.
That year, the Trojans became the first team from the Sun Belt Conference to be ranked in the Top 25. It was also the Trojans’ first 10-win season since joining the FBS in 2001, which included a victory in the Dollar General Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.
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The Trojans’ performance only went up from there. In 2017, the Trojans posted an impressive 11-2 record and went 7-1 in Sun Belt Conference play, tying for first place and earning the Sun Belt Championship. The team then defeated North Texas 50-30 in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, finishing on a seven-game winning streak.
In 2018, Troy finished with another strong record of 10-3 and went 7-1 in conference play, again tying for first place in the Sun Belt. This marked Troy’s third straight season with at least 10 wins under Brown, making him one of the most impactful coaches the university has ever seen.
West Virginia University
On January 5, 2019, Neal Brown was given the position as the 35th head football coach for West Virginia University—a role that he held for five years until 2024.
The Mountaineers held several records under his leadership, becoming one of the best offensive lines in the nation. Among others, WVU was the only school to finish with over 2,200 rushing yards in conference games and currently holds the top spot with an exceptional streak of 16 consecutive games producing over 140 rushing yards.
Brown’s overall record at WVU was 37 wins and 35 losses, with a conference record of 25-28 in the Big 12. He led the team to bowl games in four of his final five seasons but only managed to secure more than six wins in a single season, which occurred in 2023 when the Mountaineers finished with a 9-4 record.
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While the Mountaineers were generally seen as competitive, they often struggled against top opponents. And, unlike the Trojans, the Mountaineers never reached the AP Top 25. In fact, WVU finished with a dismal 3-17 record against AP Top 25 teams, which included nine consecutive losses to ranked opponents.
2023 was Brown’s best season at WVU. The Mountaineers performed so admirably that WVU extended Brown’s contract until 2027 after finishing with a 9-4 record. The extension included a modest pay cut, with Brown agreeing to decrease his salary by $400,000 over three years to reinvest in the program and support his coaching staff.
However, just ten months later, West Virginia fired Brown following a 52-15 loss with Texas Tech.
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Why Did West Virginia University Fire Neal Brown?
Neal Brown coached WVU’s Mountaineers for six seasons, from 2019 until 2024. While he’s far from the longest-tenured head coach in WVU history (that goes to Don Nehlen, who held the position for 21 years), Brown’s dismissal still came as a shock—especially since WVU renewed his contract less than a year prior.
But from an outsider’s perspective, the decision to let go of Brown isn’t so much of a mystery.
WVU had high expectations following Brown’s promising 2023 season, hoping to build on that success after a few disappointing years. But the Mountaineers lost to Penn State in an abysmal 34-12 just three weeks in the season, followed by a narrow 38-34 loss to Pittsburgh, swiftly crushing those expectations.
The next few games weren’t great, either. Months later, they lost to No. 17 Oklahoma at 59-20 and Texas Tech at 52-15.
The team did have some competitive moments, including a victory against Cincinnati with a score of 42-21, but it wasn’t enough to keep Brown in the game.
In total, the 2024 season under Brown ended with a record of 6-6.
“It has been a great honor to serve as West Virginia’s head football coach,” Brown said on X (formerly Twitter) on December 1, 2024. “I love this group and know they will navigate this transition with class and integrity. Our family was proud to call West Virginia home.”
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“Coach Brown is a great person and has served as a tremendous ambassador for West Virginia University,” Wren Baker, WVU’s Athletic Director, later told MetroNews. “He led our storied program with class and integrity and always put in the hard work necessary to allow for success.”
Since WVU ended Brown’s contract early, the university is set to pay a buyout of upwards of $9.5 million.
Currently, Brown is a candidate for the offensive coordinator position at Ohio State. The University of Massachusetts is also looking to hire Brown as their next head football coach following Don Brown.
As of 2025, Richard Rodrigues serves as the head coach of WVU’s Mountaineers. Rodrigues used to coach WVU from 2001 to 2007.
Personal Life
Neil Brown prefers to keep his personal life private. He’s currently married to Brooke Brown, with whom he shares three children: Adalyn, Anslee, and Dax.
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Adalyn was born on February 15, 2008, making her 16 years old as of February 2025. Anslee was born just a day later on February 16, 2010. Dax was born shortly after on February 18, 2011.
Conclusion
Neal Brown was the former football head coach of Troy University and West Virginia University. He began his career as an assistant coach in various universities, before taking offensive coordinator positions at Troy, Texas Tech, and Kentucky.
His career as a head coach at Troy was marked with numerous successes, including the Sun Belt Championship and multiple bowl victories.
Regrettably, the same can’t be said with his leadership in West Virginia. Though the team witnessed a stand-out 2023 season, where the team finished with a 9-4 record and secured a bowl victory, the 2024 season turned out less than stellar.
Brown was dismissed in December 2024 after a disappointing season.
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