Neal Brown and Staff Recognizes the Benefits of Split Practices

The West Virginia University Mountaineer football program’s fall camp is underway with conditions relatively back to years prior to COVID-19. However, head coach Neal Brown and his staff found a positive in the world of social distancing, split practices. The Mountaineers had to go through split practices for a two-week period last year but are being implanted for the first four practices this year.

“What we found out was, the guys are out there for a short amount of time, but we get more total reps,” said Brown. “And our young guys, it really helps them because they get one on one coaching, they get more reps. I think you always learn better by doing rather than watching. It’s harder on the coaches, but I think it’s better on the players.”

Co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach Gerad Parker reiterated it is indeed harder on the coaches, then jokingly saying, “For us as coaches, it’s our biggest challenge because we may not have done what we were supposed to do on vacation, so we’re a little out of shape. co-defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley chimed in when it was his time to take the microphone, saying with a grin, “I'm in way better shape than Gerad - I'm fine."

Nonetheless, they both agreed they see the benefits of the split practice in reps and more film on the younger talent.

“It’s a challenge, but it’s the right challenge, it’s harder on us than it is on them, but they’re running,” said Parker. “The lines are lighter, reps we kind of control, and I think it’s brilliant by coach to put us in a position, especially early, to let the young guys learn and learn fast and kind of get fed with a firehouse. And then we know more about our team quicker, so we can settle in and get ready for the season.”

It also paid dividends on special teams.

“We do a lot of drill work, special teams-wise, and by splitting the squad, we found some guys last year that really helped us as the year went on, on special teams. And we wouldn’t have recognized them because they probably would have been on scout team early on in camp, but because we were split-squad, they got live reps and very proficient at the drills, so that’s one positive,” said Brown.

You can follow us for future coverage by liking us on Facebook & following us Twitter:

Facebook - @WVUonSI

Twitter - @WVUonSI and Christopher Hall @WVHallBilly