West Virginia fires defensive coordinator: Is Neal Brown next?

Big shakeups could be coming to the West Virginia Mountaineers, beginning with the firing of defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley.

Lesley's departure comes after a season of defensive struggles, with the Mountaineers ranking poorly in national defensive statistics. Lesley's unit was 113th out of 133 FBS teams in passing yards allowed per game and 84th in total defense. The decision to part ways with him was made by head coach Neal Brown, and inside linebackers coach Jeff Koonz will serve as interim defensive coordinator for the remainder of the season.

Some Mountaineer fans, however, are not satisfied with this change alone. While Lesley’s firing addresses some of the immediate defensive issues, it does little to quell the growing frustration with the overall direction of the football program.

A part of the fanbase has been vocal about their dissatisfaction with head coach Neal Brown's leadership, which they feel has been defined by inconsistency and underperformance over his six-year tenure.

Some fans have even gone to the lengths of purchasing billboards around Morgantown, calling for Brown's removal.

The sentiment among many in the Mountaineer community is that the problems facing the team extend beyond the defense. While firing Lesley is seen as a step in the right direction, some fans believe that more significant changes are needed to get the program back on track. As West Virginia sits with a 4-4 record, the pressure is mounting on Brownto deliver results in the final stretch of the season.

As the season progresses, it remains to be seen whether Lesley’s departure will be enough to turn things around. For many fans, the focus is now shifting toward Brown’s future with the team, and they’re watching closely to see if additional changes are made. 

Neal Brown signed a new contract extension this past March that included a smaller salary.

West Virginia has an open date this weekend before traveling to Cincinnati on Saturday, November 9. The Mountaineers will then finish up the 2024 season with games against Baylor and UCF at home, and then a road trip to Texas Tech.

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