Baker Gives Thoughts on Football Expectations, Evaluation of Neal Brown

WVU Athletic Director Wren Baker speaks at Big 12 media days.

When you're picked to finish dead last in the conference in year five of a coach's tenure, it's clear your program is in a murky situation. Another failed season could lead to a coaching change, forcing AD Wren Baker to conduct his third head coaching search since taking the job last November.

Baker made the trip to Arlington alongside WVU head coach Neal Brown, LB Lee Kpogba, OL Doug Nester, OL Zach Frazier, S Aubrey Burks, and DE Sean Martin for Big 12 media days this past week and stopped by Sirius XM Radio to chat about the football program. 

Here is Baker's response to a question about where the program is at under Brown.

"A lot of times I think head coaches are oblivious to the details that are going on around them and that's been one of the things that's most impressive to me is he has a very good grasp on everything that is going on and the way that that's intersecting in his program and that gets away from a lot of coaches. We're talking about big organizations and a lot of them get so focused in on just coaching that they really miss on a lot of those details. He does a great job with those. So, I just believe you want the wins to come instantly but we know that this is an industry where you are judged by that scoreboard those twelve Saturdays. Nobody can hide from that. But when I look at the totality of the program, I come in and spend a lot of time over there and visit individually with every member of the staff, spend a lot of time around the players and everything that I see, I think we got a chance this year to really surprise some people. We were surprised at the preseason pick, but I like having a chip on my shoulder. I like being able to walk into a locker room and say, 'They don't respect you,' It gives you a different edge and we're going to use that and go about our business and try and prove everybody wrong and hopefully coach Brown is our coach for a long time."

"Everything that I see, I think we have a chance this year to surprise some people."

New @WVUfootball AD @wrenbaker weighed in on HC @NealBrown_WVU and the expectations for the Mountaineers this season. #HailWV@arisports | @archerqb16 | @GabeIkard | #Big12FB pic.twitter.com/4C6B0oai6m

— College Sports on SiriusXM (@SXMCollege) July 15, 2023

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