MIKE BURKE

Allegany Communications Sports

Fresh off a 31-26 victory over Arizona and after being named Big 12 Coach of the Week, West Virginia University head football coach Neal Brown fired his defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley, who had been a member of Brown’s coaching staff at Troy and at WVU for a decade.

It is a move many Mountaineer insiders and fans had been calling for for the past several weeks, and it is a move being viewed as one Brown had to make to save his job following this season, whether he came to that conclusion himself or had some help reaching it from WVU athletic director Wren Baker.

In fact, it is now being suggested that Brown might have to clean house of most of his coaching staff if he is to keep his job beyond this season, which at this point is speculation; but face it, at this point there is nothing but speculation and hope around Morgantown 24/7 when it comes to Neal Brown – hope as to his no longer being the WVU head coach, and speculation in just how soon he can be out the door.

The Mountaineers are 4-4 entering a bye week, and the four games they’ve lost have been to Penn State, Pitt, Iowa State and Kansas State, four teams that have a combined one loss this season.

That isn’t much of an excuse for a WVU fan base that carried high hopes into the season after WVU won nine games, went 6-3 in the Big 12 after being picked to finish last in the conference, and then won a bowl game last season; and a portion of that fan base is outwardly displaying its dissatisfaction.

On Monday, a group that calls itself the Wolf Pack that had already started a website, fireNealbrown.org, put up three billboards in Morgantown that read “Fire Neal Brown.”

The same group tried to fly a plane over Milan Puskar Stadium during WVU’s game against Kansas State on October 19 with a sign that read, “Are you having fun? Fire Neal Brown?”

Fun has become a rather touchy subject for WVU fans these days as after a nationally-televised home loss to Iowa State two weeks ago, Brown urged the fan base to continue to support the team because of the “good time” they have at home games.

“I get that they want to win,” he said. “But what I would say is, did they have a good time? Did they enjoy it? It was a pretty good atmosphere. You know, I’m assuming they probably had a pretty good time tailgating.

“So if they’re in the deal for enjoyment, then I would come back. I looked at the weather, and it’s going to be nice again. It’s a night game, and we need them to provide a home-field advantage.”

That game ended up being a 45-18 Homecoming loss to Kansas State, so … Let’s just say, I have left West Virginia home games after the Mountaineers have won and after they have lost and, believe me, WVU fans have a good time only after their team has won, and we’ll leave it at that.

Then last week, in addressing the team’s upcoming game in Tucson against Arizona, Brown said, “Let’s get ready to go on the road. We’re not going to play at home again for about a month, so we probably need a break …”

In fairness, he followed with, “If you had your choice, you’d rather play at home,” but with the current mindset of many a WVU fan, that part of the comment went unheard, likely by those who chose not to hear it. And, frankly, even suggesting you need a break from playing at home, no matter the context, is awkward, particularly given the current environment.

Last March Brown signed a contract extension for a fourth year that will take him to 2027. He also took a $400,000 salary cut over the first three years to reinvest in the program and assistant coaches’ salaries.

If Brown is fired at any point of the contract, he is paid 75% of his remaining salary as opposed to the previous buyout that would have required West Virginia to pay him 100% of his remaining salary had he been fired on or before December 31, 2024, and 85% if he were fired in 2025.

If Brown leaves for another job at any point, he is to pay 10% of his remaining total salary. Previously, he would have been required to pay 25% of his remaining salary had he left before December 31, 2024, and 12.5% of the remaining salary had he left in 2025.

Initially, the extension and the cut in pay felt as though Brown were betting on himself to finish “the climb.” Now in his sixth season at WVU, with a 35-33 record that includes 3-17 against ranked opponents, including eight straight losses, Neal Brown is older now, but still running against the wind.

Eight months later, that contract extension feels more like an agreement that makes parting ways easier for WVU and for Neal Brown.

Mike Burke writes about sports and other stuff for Allegany Communications. He began covering sports for the Prince George’s Sentinel in 1981 and joined the Cumberland Times-News sports staff in 1984, serving as sports editor for over 30 years. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on X @MikeBurkeMDT

 

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