Texas Longhorns Assistant Lands New Head Coaching Job

The Texas Longhorns will have some changes to their staff, with one assistant recently taking a head coaching job.

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian looks on in the first half against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

This season's coaching carousel has been one of the most active ever, with new LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin being the top headline of the newest hires in college football, following his dramatic exit from Ole Miss. And in recent days, job openings across the country are being filled, with most programs penciling in the there newest head coach to lead their teams.

The SEC has been on a whirlwind on the coaching carousel with six new head coaches hired in the conference, and for the Texas Longhorns, they'll be impacted by facing off against four of those head coaches at their new programs. Texas faces LSU, the Ole Miss Rebels, Florida Gators, and Arkansas Razorbacks in 2026, all of which will have a new face on the sideline leading the squads.

While it appeared the Longhorns staff wouldn't be affected by the coaching searches at other programs, that has changed with one person on the Texas staff recently announced as the newest head coach for another program in the Lone Star State.

Texas Assistant Hired by North Texas

West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Neal Brown walks along the sidelines during the second quarter against the Kansas Jayhawks at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

As announced by ESPN's Pete Thamel on Tuesday afternoon, the North Texas Mean Green are hiring of former West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Neal Brown as the program's newest head coach.

Brown spent this past season as a special assistant for Steve Sarkisian.

Sources: Neal Brown is finalizing a 5-year deal to become the next coach at North Texas. He brings 10 years of head coaching experience, including a 35-16 mark at Troy and a 37-35 mark at West Virginia. pic.twitter.com/u1uWGS5LNp

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 2, 2025

The decision comes after Mean Green's head coach, Eric Morris, accepted the head coaching job with the Oklahoma State Cowboys, who fired long-time head coach Mike Gundy mid-season.

With Morris this season, North Texas is currently 11-1, with the AAC conference championship game this Friday against the Tulane Green Wave, and a potential spot on the College Football Playoff on the line, a game in which Morris will be allowed to coach.

Brown brings a wealth of experience with him to Denton, as he has 10 years of head coaching reps under his belt. North Texas's newest head coach received his first head coaching gig with the Troy Trojans, where he accumulated a 35-16 record in four seasons, leading the Trojans to three bowl wins and a Sun Belt Conference championship during his tenure.

After his fruitful tenure with Troy, Brown accepted the head coaching job with the West Virginia Mountaineers, where he spent six seasons, recording a 37-35 record over that time span.

Brown's best season in Morgantown came in 2023, when the Mountaineers went 9-4. After a middle-of-the-road 6-6 season in 2024, Brown was let go by West Virginia.