West Virginia

Sunday Morning Thoughts: Neal Brown, Welcome Back to the Hot Seat

Published

4 months ago

September 15, 2024

Sunday Morning Thoughts: Neal Brown, Welcome Back to the Hot Seat

In 2023, West Virginia head coach Neal Brown coached his way off of the hot seat with a nine-win campaign. It seemed as if the Mountaineers were finally turning the corner and the climb was actually happening. WVU brought back all but two players on the offensive side of the ball, including a dual-threat quarterback in Garrett Greene.

Three games into the 2024 season and all that momentum the program had captured last season is now gone. Every single ounce of it. Gone.

Losing to Penn State was expected. But losing in the fashion they did to the Nittany Lions is the issue. The bigger problem though is blowing a ten-point lead on the road against your bitter rival, Pitt. It’s the second time in three years this team has choked away a game in the Backyard Brawl.

So much went wrong in this game and I put a lot of blame on the coaching staff for it. So before we get deeper into the bigger picture, let’s discuss what transpired at Acrisure Stadium on Saturday night.

At the end of the first half, Neal Brown played with fire. He called timeout with 25 seconds left before kicking the game-tying field goal. Why? Why burn the timeout that early and give Pitt a chance to do something against this horrid secondary? I don’t want to hear either that it was 4th & 1 and they needed time to think about whether or not they wanted to go for it. No. That decision needs to be made on third down. Brown could have let that thing drain down to three seconds before stopping the clock which would have made the field goal the final play of the half.

To make matters worse, WVU then elects to do a pooch kick on the ensuing kickoff. Again, why? What is the thinking here? Boot the darn thing through the back of the end zone for crying out loud. The Panthers, believe it or not, received better field position on the pooch kick than if the ball were to have traveled out of bounds. You don’t give Pitt, who still had a timeout, 21 seconds to get into field goal range. That’s plenty of time to make something happen. And this whole kickoff dilemma is reaching ridiculousness if we’re being totally honest. Michael Hayes had a high touchback rate while at Georgia State and has not put the ball through the end zone very often as a Mountaineer. Did he forget how to do it? No. Brown was asked about this twice last week and both times stated that they’re trying to kick it through the end zone but they’re not executing. Really? Then why do kicks continue to go to the corner? If’ you’re not kicking a playable ball, then blast it through the uprights.

Offensively, WVU did what it wanted to for the most part. They had success through the air and on the ground but failed miserably when they needed it most. Pat Narduzzi, the players, the media, and everyone in that stadium knew exactly what WVU was going to do when they were trying to protect a 34-31 lead late in the game. Run up the middle, run up the middle, run up the middle. Again, WVU had success doing it all day but you can’t be predictable in that situation. Narduzzi loaded the box and Brown continued to just run Donaldson into a wall. For an offense that is so RPO-heavy, why do you not attach an RPO onto a play there? If the run is there, run. If it’s not, flip it out to the flat or to tight end Kole Taylor for a quick five-yard gain.

Last thing on the offense here. I understand the idea behind running CJ Donaldson wide because it sets up the bounce back later in the game. But why are the wide runs with a 240-pound back coming on got to have it situations or short-yardage situations? You need two yards and instead of getting downhill, they asked Donaldson to run six yards east/west to get two yards north. Make it make sense.

Defensively, it’s a mess. It’s nearing 2013 territory folks. Well, at least the pass defense is. Yes, it’s that bad and I’m not sure it can be fixed. I gave defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley and this unit a pass (pun intended) through the first two weeks because it was Penn State, it was an FCS team that they slightly overlooked, and it was a secondary mostly made up of transfers still trying to figure out how to play together. This was the barometer and they failed flat on their face. Every time Eli Holstein dropped back to pass, you could sense a big play coming. They have absolutely no answers schematically or personnel-wise to slow down the passing game.

How long does this go on?

Three losing seasons in the first four years, a nine-win season versus a light schedule, and a 1-2 start to year six. A horrible ending in Oklahoma in 2021, two blown Backyard Brawls, a Hail Mary in Houston, your gunner running into your punt returner to change the Oklahoma State game. Should I keep going?

At some point, patience is going to wear thin within the administration. They need results. One nine-win year isn’t enough to allow another disappointing season. As a matter of fact, the 2023 season means absolutely nothing if you don’t build on it, and with the schedule they have coming up, it seems like eight-plus wins are out of reach. Mediocrity should not be tolerated. Period. This program has not spent a single week in the AP Top 25 since Brown took over. Only five Mountaineers have been drafted during his tenure which is the same number of players drafted in Dana Holgorsen’s final year at WVU alone.

It’s time for results, Neal. It’s now or never and I’m pretty sure now just walked out the door. Blowing a 10-point lead with three minutes and some change against Pitt is a fireable offense. Completely destroying all momentum from 2023 is another. If this ship isn’t righted soon, a changing of the guard is needed.

West Virginia

Akron CB Golden-Nelson commits to West Virginia

Published

5 hours ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

Akron CB Golden-Nelson commits to West Virginia

West Virginia continues to remake the defensive backfield, and the coaching staff took another step there with a commitment from Akron transfer cornerback Devonte Golden-Nelson.

Golden-Nelson, 5-foot-10, 180-pounds, started his career at Memphis where he spent two seasons and appeared in four games prior to entering his name into the transfer portal and ending up at Akron.

Nelson confirmed the commitment to WVSports.com

During his time with the Zips, Golden-Nelson appeared in 29 games over the past three seasons where he has recorded 66 tackles, 10 passes defended and a pair of interceptions.

In 2024, Golden-Nelson recorded 33 tackles, and 7 passes defended.

Golden-Nelson entered the transfer portal Dec. 17 and received an offer from West Virginia Jan. 3 from new cornerbacks coach Rod West. He also was offered by Oklahoma State, Houston and UNLV.

The Memphis native has played 1,060 snaps during his time at Akron including 613 this past season where he graded out at 66.2 according to Pro Football Focus. He allowed only two touchdowns in his career.

Golden-Nelson took an official visit to West Virginia Jan. 7 and that was enough to close his recruitment giving the Mountaineers another piece in the defensive secondary.

Golden-Nelson has one year of eligibility remaining.

WVSports.com will have more with Golden-Nelson.

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West Virginia

Financial commitment there for West Virginia coaching staff

Published

13 hours ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

Financial commitment there for West Virginia coaching staff

West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez has at least $5 million that he can dedicate to his on-the-field coaching staff in each year of his five-year contract.

There is at least another $2,500,000 tied up in support staff for every year of the agreement.

While the assistant coaches and support staff members are now starting to be announced which means contract terms are not far behind we’re getting an idea of just where the group will fall in terms of that total.

The Mountaineers made a heavy financial commitment to secure the services of Oklahoma co-defensive coordinator Zac Alley with a $1,500,000 contract that extends until Feb. 28, 2028.

That checks out with the sentiments that Rodriguez shared in his introductory press conference where he made it clear that he had the financial means to secure a top-level coordinator on that side of the ball.

And Alley is certainly that as he served as the Sooners play caller last year. The unit finished No. 3 ranking in defensive touchdowns, No. 5 in fumbles recovered, No. 10 in team tackles for loss, No. 11 in first-down defense, No. 19 in total defense, No. 23 in rushing defense, No. 25 in sacks and No. 30 in scoring defense.

As for other known commitments, West Virginia will pay $725,000 for running backs coach Chad Scott and $225,000 for inside wide receivers coach Blaine Stewart. Those two financial commitments were already in place under previously signed contracts when the pair worked for former head coach Neal Brown.

But the decision to re-hire the pair in essence will save the school money which they would have been owed, and the school would have had to hire replacements had they not been retained.

Both are under contract until 2026.

Other known contract details obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request include offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr at $450,000, wide receivers coach Ryan Garrett at $250,000, defensive line coach William Green at $250,000, and tight ends coach Michael Nysewander at $225,000.

Each is under contract through Feb. 28, 2026.

That makes the total $3,625,000 with just seven of the coaches in place. The Mountaineers also have announced several others that haven’t had contract details released yet such as cornerbacks coach Rod West, bandits coach Jeff Casteel, quarterbacks coach Rhett Rodriguez, special teams coordinator Pat Kirkland, assistant running backs coach Noel Devine and assistant special teams coordinator Chris Hearing for example.

That also doesn’t include others who are expected to be in roles but have yet to be announced such as offensive assistant Travis Trickett, safeties coach Gabe Franklin, nickels/sam coach Henry Weinreich, assistant offensive line coach Derek Dressler, and a number of others on the coaching staff.

It’s clear that West Virginia is making a commitment to staffing under Rodriguez and the “at least,” in the assistant salary pool is likely going to be the floor.

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West Virginia

Iowa State wrestling remains perfect in league, takes down West Virginia

Published

21 hours ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

Iowa State wrestling remains perfect in league, takes down West Virginia

The Iowa State wrestling team handled West Virginia on Wednesday night in Big 12 action, earning key bonus points to claim the dual, 24-18 in Morgantown, West Virginia.

Both teams scored five match victories each, but it was the 13th-ranked Cyclones (5-3, 2-0) who earned two pins and a technical fall to get by the Mountaineers (7-2, 1-2).

Paniro Johnson and Cody Chittum each had a fall, Evan Frost earned a technical fall and Evan Bockman a major decision as Iowa State held a 17-12 edge in takedowns.

Frost opened the dual at 133 pounds, as the eighth-ranked grappler downed Tommy Maddox, 20-3 in 5:29. Jacob Frost followed with a decision before Johnson and Chittum claimed falls to give the Cyclones a huge advantage on the scoreboard.

Jacob Frost, ranked 15th at 141, earned a key win in terms of seeding purposes in the postseason by besting No. 29 Jordan Titus. Chittum is ranked eighth at 157 pounds.

West Virginia got a win by No. 3 Peyton Hall over Aiden Riggins by major decision and another major decision from Brody Conley before Bockman earned a win in a ranked battle.

Bockman, ranked 12th at 184 pounds, downed No. 16 Dennis Robin, 9-1.

From there, West Virginia scored the last three matches, as Ian Bush, Michael Wolfgram and Jeff Strickenberger all won by decision. Iowa State’s Daniel Herrera, ranked 26th at 285, and Kysen Terukina, ranked 19th at 285, were tipped in close matches.

The Cyclones return to the mats on Saturday when they meet Rider and Bucknell at the Virginia Duals.

133: #8 Evan Frost (ISU) TF Tommy Maddox (WVU), 20-3 (5:29)

141: #15 Jacob Frost (ISU) dec. #29 Jordan Titus (WVU), 9-6

149: Paniro Johnson (ISU) WBF Sam Hillegas (WVU), 5:48

157: #8 Cody Chittum (ISU) WBF Sasha Gavronsky (WVU), 3:41

165: #3 Peyton Hall (WVU) Maj. Dec. Aiden Riggins (ISU), 16-6

174: #28 Brody Conley (WVU) Maj. Dec. MJ Gaitan (ISU), 14-2

184: #12 Evan Bockman (ISU) Maj. Dec. #16 Dennis Robin (WVU), 9-1

197: Ian Bush (WVU) Maj. Dec. Nate Schon (ISU), 13-2

285: Michael Wolfgram (WVU) dec. #26 Daniel Herrera (ISU), 5-3

125: Jett Strickenberger (WVU) dec. #19 Kysen Terukina (ISU), 4-1

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