Neal Brown Ranked as a Top 50 Head Coach by CBS Sports

The West Virginia head coach jumps up the rankings.

Nov 25, 2023; Waco, Texas, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Neal Brown on the field / Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports

Much of the discussion this time a year ago was centered around what WVU head coach Neal Brown needed to do in order to keep his job. The Mountaineers jumped out to a 4-1 start but suffered consecutive losses to Houston and Oklahoma State to drop to 4-3. Doubt began to creep in once again from the West Virginia faithful, but Brown's squad went on to win five of the final six games of the season, extinguishing all thoughts about WVU parting ways with its head coach.

For the first time since 2018, there is a sense of excitement around what this team can do, potentially inserting themselves in the mix for the Big 12 Conference crown. Recently, CBS Sports ranked all 68 Power Four head coaches with Brown checking in at No. 42.

"At this time last year, I was fairly certain Neal Brown wouldn't survive the upcoming season. The Mountaineers were coming off a 5-7 record in his fourth season, and the natives were growing restless. Brown responded with a 9-4 season that saw the 'Eers go 6-3 in the Big 12, his first season with a winning record in conference play. As a result, the vibes are much higher in Morgantown heading into 2024, as is Brown's ranking here as he climbed 17 spots. Only six coaches had a bigger jump this year."

Brown ranks just ahead of Curt Cignetti (Indiana), Joey McGuire (Texas Tech), Rhett Lashlee (SMU), Shane Beamer (South Carolina), and Billy Napier (Florida). He sits right behind Mike Locksley (Maryland), Greg Schiano (Rutgers), P.J. Fleck (Minnesota), Pat Narduzzi (Pitt), and Mack Brown (North Carolina).

READ MORE ABOUT WVU ATHLETICS

Magic Johnson Likes Deuce McBride in Knicks Starting Five

Should the WVU/Marshall Football Series Return?

Projecting West Virginia's 2025 NFL Draft Class