Grading Neal Brown's First Year as West Virginia's Head Man
Year one of the Neal Brown era in Morgantown is well in the books as year two is just around the corner. Spring football has been put on pause for the time being due to growing concerns of COVID-19 nationally and globally.
Today, we take a look at how the first year went under Brown and we're not just judging on record, doing so would be completely unfair. The Mountaineers were certainly headed for a rebuild in 2019 with the offense losing about 90% of its production from guys such as Will Grier, David Sills, Gary Jennings, and many others. The defense lost seem key guys as well, which left behind a very young and inexperienced team.
Despite the amount of youth that littered the West Virginia roster, Neal Brown was able to muster together five wins and a strong finish to the season. With that being said, let's check the report card.
Play-calling: C+
Neal Brown is an offensive-minded coach and although he is very intelligent and knows how to get his playmakers the ball, often times West Virginia was very predictable with its offense. I can't be too harsh on him though, as he was working with a very inexperienced group that really limited what he could do as a play-caller.
Given the circumstances, I thought he did a pretty good job of putting the pieces of the puzzle together. Room for improvement? Absolutely. But with the roster being deeper and more experienced, he too will improve.
Coaching: A
To be a great coach, you have to be a great motivator and players must buy into what you're selling. Attrition will happen to every program, every season. It's never going to not happen. Guys will constantly transfer, transfer out for whatever reason.
Brown seems to have a high "buy-in" from the players and it doesn't take long for you to figure out that he is truly a player's coach. They love him and it goes beyond the football field. The family atmosphere that he has instilled is infectious and has made the players feel like they belong.
As for on the field, he's an extremely intelligent dude. He's constantly thinking of every possible scenario for every play and he has an answer for each situation. What was most mind-blowing was the game vs North Carolina State. West Virginia went up 44-27 and elected to take a knee on the field goal attempt. Yes, they lined up as if they were going to tack on an extra point and when the ball was snapped the holder stood up and went right back down to take a knee. The thought behind it was to eliminate any chance of North Carolina State blocking the kick and running it back and mathematically get back into the game in the final minutes.
Recruiting: B+
The first recruiting class under Neal Brown was rather impressive and ranked among the top classes in West Virginia football history according to Rivals.com. He was able to land the top two in-state prospects (Sean Martin & Zach Frazier) and also added some big time talent on the defensive side with Akheem Mesidor, Lanell Carr, and Eddie Watkins. The Mountaineers virtually filled just about hole on the roster and grabbed some highly talented guys in the process.
Brown is already off to another great start in the 2021 class, which is currently rated No. 24 by Rivals.com. West Virginia has once again made a statement by receiving a commitment from one of the state's top players in offensive lineman Wyatt Milum.
Fan Approval: A+
It's not that much of a hunch when you say West Virginia fans love themselves some Neal Brown. They love the family man that he is, the down to earth persona he displays and the fact that he's an Appalachian man - fans love it. They see how much progress he has made in just one year's time and the majority of fans feel extremely comfortable with the future of West Virginia football in Neal Brown's hands.
Overall Grade: B+
It's only one year, so this grade will certainly change by next spring, but Neal Brown has the program headed in the right direction. He seems like an almost perfect fit, the fans love him and he's recruiting extremely well early in his tenure.
What does your report card show for Neal Brown after year one? Drop your thoughts into the comment section below and discuss it with fellow Mountaineer fans!
