Only Two Other Schools Compare to WVU in Neal Brown's Eyes

West Virginian's know how much WVU football, basketball, and really the entire athletics program mean to the state. No one has to explain the importance of it to the people from the state. But for those on the outside, they really don't have a clue.

During a recent guest appearance on the Marty & McGee show on ESPN, WVU head football coach explained the how much the school means to the state and mentioned how it's only one of three schools in the country that have a similar backing.

“I think there’s two other programs that are similar in the country and that’s it. Arkansas and Nebraska. Those are the only other two programs that really in my mind represent an entire state. At West Virginia, there’s no other Power Four schools, there’s not any professional organizations at the highest level. We’re 1.8 million strong and we’re all Mountaineers. I don’t think there’s any other university that’s as closely linked to the state than West Virginia. It’s important. And this probably took me a little bit of time to fully understand and I’m from central Kentucky. I grew up around very similar people, but it probably took me a couple years to understand that the make up of our team and how we play and the culture and identity of who we are really needed to match the people. We’ve got to be a physcially and mentally tough team because that’s who our people are.”

On #MartyndMcGee a GREAT chat w @NealBrown_WVU
(I believe WVU could make CFP if they play to their ability)
•Deep importance of @WVUfootball to folks in Wild Wonderful.
•Great rivalries w PennSt/Pitt
•9-4 in 2023. What now?
•QB Garrett Greene 🚀
•Jogger pants?
•Dirty Myrtle pic.twitter.com/ulT2wbd8gi
— Marty Smith (@MartySmithESPN) August 17, 2024

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