Realistic coaching options for 2025...

[Saint3333]

Born in Boone.

??

Sparky was the OC at App State in 1983, when Casey Woods was born.

[BallantyneApp]

Personally, I’d take Brown over Woods at this point. I think we’re more in need of someone that has been successful as a G5 head coach than taking a chance on a higher ceiling but lower floor offensive play caller. JMO

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

Brown? Are we talking about the former co-defensive coordinator?

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

Brown? Are we talking about the former co-defensive coordinator?

Never mind, Neal Brown, got it.

[Saint3333]

I like the idea of the HC calling the plays.

[MAD Doctor]

Born in Boone.

https://youtu.be/qLNXHuLV1H8?feature=shared

[Boonedoc]

There is nothing about watching WVU football the last few years that says Brown needs to get a job right away.

[appdaze]

Born in Boone?

Boone Feldt?
Shawn Clark?

[Saint3333]

The guy that never wants to fire an App coach wanted to fire Neal Brown.

[hapapp]

Born in Boone.

His bio says Starkville, MS.

[Boonedoc]

In 6 seasons Neal Brown's WVU was ranked for 1 week.

[AppDawg]

Born in Boone.

His bio says Starkville, MS.

Wikipedia is only place I saw birth location referenced. Starkville is where he went to HS.

Perhaps it is right, but Sparky was in Iowa ‘81, ‘82 before joining Mack in Boone in ‘83. Don’t see a connection to Starkville until 90’s.

[hapapp]

Born in Boone.

His bio says Starkville, MS.

Wikipedia is only place I saw birth location referenced. Starkville is where he went to HS.

Perhaps it is right, but Sparky was in Iowa ‘81, ‘82 before joining Mack in Boone in ‘83. Don’t see a connection to Starkville until 90’s.

I thought that strange too.

[The Rock]

Born in Boone.

His bio says Starkville, MS.

Wikipedia is only place I saw birth location referenced. Starkville is where he went to HS.

Perhaps it is right, but Sparky was in Iowa ‘81, ‘82 before joining Mack in Boone in ‘83. Don’t see a connection to Starkville until 90’s.

Does it really matter??

[app97]

The name I heard has no connections to App. Would definitely raise some eyebrows. Currently an OC. Was asked not to say more.

I've heard a couple that do have connections to App...not going to mention names either, but they've apparently been in the conversations.

[MrCraig]

Brown? Are we talking about the former co-defensive coordinator?

Never mind, Neal Brown, got it.

Actually, James Brown. They found his ghost and he wants to make a comeback as a football coach. I know, I thought it was crazy too!

[Stonewall]

I’m just going from memory and it ain’t what it used to be. I haven’t talked to his dad in ages.

[EastHallApp]

What if I told you we had a chance to hire a 38-year-old coach with the following resume:

- Experience as a coordinator in the Big 12 and SEC.
- Led multiple top 25 national offenses.
- Took over a failing FBS program as head coach, won 10 games in year 2.
- Won a Sun Belt title, had three consecutive 10+ win seasons.
- Beat a top 20 LSU team in Death Valley.

Would that be a candidate you would find appealing?

That was Neal Brown's bio when he took the WVU job.

That is all still on his resume today, and he's still just 44 years old.

Does being a .500 coach at WVU negate all that? If Brown had never been a head coach but had three good years as an OC, would you like him better?

If you favor hiring a coordinator who's never been a head coach (and I'm not saying we shouldn't) - what makes you confident that that coach would do better at the P4 level (which isn't the job we're hiring for, BTW) than Brown did?

And don't tell me none of it matters because NIL/the portal. NIL and the portal are question marks for everyone. Nobody on our list, to my knowledge, has proven experience winning as an FBS head coach in the portal/NIL era. And even if they did, NIL resources at one school may not be the same as they are at another.

I'm not saying Neal Brown has to be your first choice, or even that he's mine. But to act like he's somehow a horrible candidate for a job at our level is pretty odd to me.

[t4pizza]

What if I told you we had a chance to hire a 38-year-old coach with the following resume:

- Experience as a coordinator in the Big 12 and SEC.
- Led multiple top 25 national offenses.
- Took over a failing FBS program as head coach, won 10 games in year 2.
- Won a Sun Belt title, had three consecutive 10+ win seasons.
- Beat a top 20 LSU team in Death Valley.

Would that be a candidate you would find appealing?

That was Neal Brown's bio when he took the WVU job.

That is all still on his resume today, and he's still just 44 years old.

Does being a .500 coach at WVU negate all that? If Brown had never been a head coach but had three good years as an OC, would you like him better?

If you favor hiring a coordinator who's never been a head coach (and I'm not saying we shouldn't) - what makes you confident that that coach would do better at the P4 level (which isn't the job we're hiring for, BTW) than Brown did?

And don't tell me none of it matters because NIL/the portal. NIL and the portal are question marks for everyone. Nobody on our list, to my knowledge, has proven experience winning as an FBS head coach in the portal/NIL era. And even if they did, NIL resources at one school may not be the same as they are at another.

I'm not saying Neal Brown has to be your first choice, or even that he's mine. But to act like he's somehow a horrible candidate for a job at our level is pretty odd to me.

There have been a lot of very good G5 coaches that climbed the ladder to P5 but did not succeed. Some of those have ended up back at G5 schools. I am not aware of any (after much thought) that did a great job and had big success back at the G5 level once they returned. There may be some that I have overlooked but I can't think of one. I really think there is something to the mindset of busting it hard to try to reach a goal as a young coach- it helps to establish success. But once you have fallen from the mountaintop and landed back in the G5, the drive just doesn't seem to be there anymore. I want a guy that is still climbing, not clinging to the mountain after falling down a long way and being saved by his ropes. Give me a young up and coming guy with something to prove.

[EastHallApp]

What if I told you we had a chance to hire a 38-year-old coach with the following resume:

- Experience as a coordinator in the Big 12 and SEC.
- Led multiple top 25 national offenses.
- Took over a failing FBS program as head coach, won 10 games in year 2.
- Won a Sun Belt title, had three consecutive 10+ win seasons.
- Beat a top 20 LSU team in Death Valley.

Would that be a candidate you would find appealing?

That was Neal Brown's bio when he took the WVU job.

That is all still on his resume today, and he's still just 44 years old.

Does being a .500 coach at WVU negate all that? If Brown had never been a head coach but had three good years as an OC, would you like him better?

If you favor hiring a coordinator who's never been a head coach (and I'm not saying we shouldn't) - what makes you confident that that coach would do better at the P4 level (which isn't the job we're hiring for, BTW) than Brown did?

And don't tell me none of it matters because NIL/the portal. NIL and the portal are question marks for everyone. Nobody on our list, to my knowledge, has proven experience winning as an FBS head coach in the portal/NIL era. And even if they did, NIL resources at one school may not be the same as they are at another.

I'm not saying Neal Brown has to be your first choice, or even that he's mine. But to act like he's somehow a horrible candidate for a job at our level is pretty odd to me.

There have been a lot of very good G5 coaches that climbed the ladder to P5 but did not succeed. Some of those have ended up back at G5 schools. I am not aware of any (after much thought) that did a great job and had big success back at the G5 level once they returned. There may be some that I have overlooked but I can't think of one. I really think there is something to the mindset of busting it hard to try to reach a goal as a young coach- it helps to establish success. But once you have fallen from the mountaintop and landed back in the G5, the drive just doesn't seem to be there anymore. I want a guy that is still climbing, not clinging to the mountain after falling down a long way and being saved by his ropes. Give me a young up and coming guy with something to prove.

Fair point, and I do think that's something you'd want to suss out in the interview process with any candidate in this category.

That said, that's why I mentioned his age. He's only three years older than Woods, and two years older than Lane Kiffin was when he was hired at FAU after getting canned by both the Raiders and USC. Now of course Brown hasn't gone through the Saban Fired Coach Rehab Program, so that's a big difference. But as far as his age and his performance at WVU, I could easily see him parlaying a strong G5 run into another P4 opportunity.