Neal Brown Describes What WVU Football Means to West Virginia on National Show

With anticipation building on kickoff of a season, WVU head coach Neal Brown made an appearance on a popular national college football show to talk some Mountaineers in 2024.

And while talking to Mary Smith and Ryan McGee on their “Marty and McGee” show, Brown touched on what West Virginia football means to the state.

First, Brown told a story about WVU fans staying all night after his Mountaineers beat Virginia Tech in Blacksburg in 2022 to sing Country Roads. He then compared WVU to Arkansas and Nebraska as major programs as the only Power Four school in states without any professional teams within the major leagues.

“It probably took me a couple years to fully understand that the makeup of our team and how we played…and the culture and identity of who we are really needed to match the people. And we gotta be a physical, mentally and physically tough team, because that’s who our people are. Man, college football is special,” said Brown.

After waxing poetic on WVU and West Virginia, Brown reiterated some comments he’s made throughout the offseason about feeling his team and players are being overlooked nationally, how the new format of the College Football Playoff provides easier access and how his team needs to be ready for their regional rivalry matchups with Penn State and Pitt prior to the start of conference play.

Both hosts agreed that Brown’s team could surprise people this season and win the Big 12.

Much to Brown’s chagrin, the Mountaineers were left out of the top 25 of both the Coaches Poll and the Associated Press’ poll.

WVU head coach Neal Brown talking to reporters after winning the Duke’s Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. on Dec. 27, 2023. (Mike Asti / WV Sports Now)

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“If you just look at our resume, how we finished the year, quality wins we had last year with what we had coming back, that resume is going to get in the Top 25. So what gives? I don’t know. Our top players are being undervalued,” said Brown when prompted for his reaction to entering the season on the outside looking in.

But regardless, Brown is fired up. In fact, WVU’s head coach admitted to being more fired up at the start of fall camp this year than any other year since he’s been in Morgantown.

“I’ll start with this, I’m fired up about this group. So this is year 22 for me as a coach, year 10 as a head coach, and probably as excited as I’ve been,” said Brown while kicking off fall camp.

“I really feel comfortable with our staff, and it’s layered. Everybody can coach, which I think is a good rule. I think that’ll help us especially in fall camp, and within our development guys once we get into season. Our support areas are really strong right now, academic strength conditioning, nutrition, sports psych, athletic training, our medical group. I feel like they were really strong in those support areas. I really liked the leadership of this team. If you look at the guys that have been here and grown through our culture, really pleased where that’s at,” he added.

For a related story, another national media member says WVU can make the College Football Playoff without winning a Big 12 title.

Could WVU Make the College Football Playoff Without Big 12 Title?