Neal Brown on WVU’s Recent Schedules: ‘That’s Just Not Smart Scheduling’

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – “That’s just not smart scheduling.” WVU head coach Neal Brown didn’t hold back when asked about West Virginia’s schedule as his team prepares for their FCS matchup in week two.

A simple question received another rant of an answer about WVU’s schedule compared to most other programs around the country. When asked if he would prefer the game against an FCS school to open the season or be after a big game, something other coaches have been offering their thoughts on recently, Brown took the opportunity to double down on what he’s said before about needing a schedule that puts a program in the best position to succeed.

“My issue with our schedule isn’t when we play teams. My issue with our schedule is we’ve opened on the road three straight years. That’s not smart scheduling,” said Brown referring to kicking off the 2021, 2022 and now 2023 seasons against regional rials away from Milan Puskar Stadium. And each year the game has been a bigger and bigger deal, but more and more difficult for the Mountaineers.

I asked WVU HC Neal Brown if he would rather have the FCS game start the season. He then went into more of a scheduling rant: “My issue with our schedule isn’t when we play teams. My issue with our schedule is we’ve opened on the road three straight years. That’s not smart…

— Mike J. Asti (@MikeAsti11) September 4, 2023

In 2021, West Virginia traveled to Maryland and lost. WVU then reignited the Backyard Brawl in Pittsburgh last year and just got finished losing to a Penn State team ranked inside the top ten at Beaver Stadium.

At the same time, Brown and players like Devin Carter actually said they like the test of a big game environment to start a season. Brown’s issue just goes to playing multiple major conference teams, being away from home to start seasons and even going on the road twice in their non conference schedule last season.

And for anyone who thinks this is just Neal Brown feeling this way, WVU director of athletics Wren Baker has echoed this same mentality when it comes to an ideal schedule. Baker even discussed this as recent as just two weeks ago while talking to the media before the football season got underway.

Wren Baker Reiterates Ideal Non Conference Football Schedule for WVU

When possible, Baker hopes to fill out the rest of WVU’s future schedules with one “Power 5” school, one “Group of 5” and then an FCS. This is a similar strategy that most programs have already been employing across the country and the exact path that got TCU into the College Football Playoff.