Former West Virginia football coach Neal Brown, known for his success at Troy, struggled to replicate that success in Morgantown. Despite leading Troy to three 10-win seasons and bowl victories, Brown's tenure at West Virginia included inconsistent results and losses to key opponents. Brown's 37-35 record at West Virginia, with a 5-1 bowl record, fell short of expectations, leading to his dismissal by athletic director Wren Baker after a 6-6 season in 2024.
Rich Rodriguez, who succeeded Brown, defended his predecessor's coaching abilities during a press conference, highlighting the challenges of coaching in the ever-evolving landscape of college football. Rodriguez acknowledged the difficulty of winning at the FBS Power Four level and emphasized the importance of time and support in building a successful program. Despite his mixed results at West Virginia, Brown quickly returned to coaching as a special assistant at Texas under Steve Sarkisian, positioning himself as a candidate to watch in future coaching cycles. Rodriguez's endorsement of Brown as a competent coach adds to Brown's coaching pedigree, despite his struggles at West Virginia.