West Virginia football: 3 takeaways from loss to Texas in Week 6
By Phil Poling
1. Neal Brown is going to be great
I don’t know what it is about watching Neal Brown coach football games, but it’s a comforting feeling. He makes his fair share of mistakes, but for a first-year coach at a Power Five program, Brown boasts a bravado that is a night-and-day change from the previous coaching regime.
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Dana Holgorsen was very bad at hiding his emotions. If he didn’t agree with a call or he thought a player missed an assignment, it was obvious. You saw it in his face, by his body language, the constant removal of his hat and petting of his luscious mane. But Brown has a much calmer demeanor.
Aside from his antics, or lack thereof, Brown has been an excellent game-manager. When things appear to be turning for the Mountaineers in any contest — for the worst — Brown settles his club down and gets exactly what he wants.
Whether they’re stringing together long, time-consuming drives late in the half or getting a big defensive stop, the first-year head coach, formerly of Troy, has been brilliant. It’s a testament to his preparedness, but also to his leadership. To get college-aged kids to like you is one thing, but to have them follow you and go to battle for you? That’s something that could elevate a program to new heights.
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At 3-2 with a tough upcoming slate (vs. Iowa State, at Oklahoma, at Baylor), Brown will need to keep his players focused and hungry. I expect he will, and while the wins might not pile up in the near future, there’s a foundation being laid that will last longer than just the 2019 campaign. Trust the climb.