Neal Brown Reflects on Tenure at West Virginia, Looks Ahead to North Texas

The former Mountaineers head coach discusses his mindset, lessons learned, and why he chose North Texas as his next stop.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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In a recent interview, former West Virginia head coach Neal Brown opened up about his six-year tenure with the Mountaineers, acknowledging that while they were "okay," they "never got over the hump." Brown discussed how his hands-on approach early on was not sustainable given the increased responsibilities of the WVU job compared to his previous role at Troy. He also spoke about how taking a year off as an assistant at Texas helped him gain a new perspective before accepting the head coaching job at North Texas.

Why it matters

Brown's candid reflections provide insight into the challenges he faced at West Virginia and the evolution of his coaching philosophy. His decision to return to the Group of Five level at North Texas is noteworthy, as he prioritized finding the right fit over pursuing higher-profile opportunities.

The details

After leading Troy to three straight 10-win seasons, Brown was hired as West Virginia's head coach in 2019. However, his tenure in Morgantown was not as successful, as the Mountaineers went 37-35 with only three bowl game appearances. The high point was a nine-win season in 2023 that ended with a victory in the Duke's Mayo Bowl. Following a year as an assistant at Texas, Brown accepted the head coaching job at North Texas, explaining that he felt the American Athletic Conference was the right landing spot for him.

  • In 2019, Neal Brown was hired as the 35th head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers.
  • From 2019 to 2024, Brown led West Virginia to a 37-35 record over six seasons.
  • In 2025, Brown took a year off from head coaching to serve as an assistant at the University of Texas.
  • In December 2025, Brown accepted the head coaching job at the University of North Texas.

The players

Neal Brown

The former head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers, who is now the head coach of the North Texas Mean Green.

Rich Rodriguez

The current head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers, who took over the program in 2026 after a rough first season.

Steve Sarkisian

The head coach of the University of Texas Longhorns, where Neal Brown served as an assistant in 2025.

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What they’re saying

“It wasn't that we necessarily failed. We were okay. We just never got over the hump.”

— Neal Brown, Former West Virginia Head Coach (Dave Campbell's Texas Football)

“At the start of my tenure, I treated the West Virginia job just like Troy. And what I mean by that is, I was really involved in everything. There are two issues with that. One, the job is bigger so you have more responsibility. Two, my life was evolving and my kids were getting older and that was my first priority. And so, as a father, I couldn't do all those things.”

— Neal Brown, Former West Virginia Head Coach (Dave Campbell's Texas Football)

“It really helped me take a breath. Now, for this job, I'm ready to go and I have a new perspective. I'm seeing it through the players' eyes. I'm seeing it through the assistant's eyes. And maybe I didn't at the end of my tenure at West Virginia.”

— Neal Brown, New North Texas Head Coach (Dave Campbell's Texas Football)

“I really felt like the American Conference is where my landing spot was going to be. And so, you start looking at places and doing research. As the season progressed, (North Texas) was having the best season in school history so you start paying more attention.”

— Neal Brown, New North Texas Head Coach (Dave Campbell's Texas Football)

What’s next

Brown will look to build on North Texas' recent success and lead the Mean Green to new heights in the American Athletic Conference.

The takeaway

Neal Brown's reflections on his time at West Virginia and his decision to return to the Group of Five level at North Texas provide valuable insights into the challenges of being a head coach and the importance of finding the right fit. His willingness to learn from his experiences and adjust his approach could pave the way for a successful second act in his coaching career.