Would Neal Brown Actually Leave West Virginia for UMass?

Would Neal Brown consider leaving WVU for UMass? While highly unlikely, a reporter who covers the Minutemen is arguing Brown’s alma mater should try to convince him to do exactly that.

A day after UMass decided to fire Don Brown following his team’s 35-34 loss to Liberty and 2-8 mark in 2024, Garrett Cole of the Daily New Hampshire Gazette mentioned the possibility of another Brown making his return to Massachusetts.

Below is exactly what Cole said in his column.

“Another top choice is Neal Brown, the current head coach at West Virginia – where he has gone 36-34 and won two bowl games since taking over in 2019. Brown played wide receiver at UMass in the early 2000s before joining the Minutemen staff as the tight ends coach. UMass Chancellor Javier Reyes crossed paths and was very involved with Neal Brown at West Virginia, and the Paul Gorham Auditorium inside of the Martin Jacobson Football Performance Center was donated by Neal Brown and his wife Brooke.”

While it makes sense for someone who covers UMass to throw out Neal Brown’s name since he’s an alum and former player currently at a Power Four school, it’s also important to understand Cole is not reporting anything here. What he said was part of a column (opinion piece) and does not take into account the fact leaving the West Virginia Mountaineers for the UMass Minutemen would be quite the career gamble.

No matter how much someone may feel an allegiance to their alma mater, that’s a giant step down in the coaching ranks. Yes, WVU is not where the program once was or wants to be, but it’s still a major program with tons of history that firmly sits within the Big 12 and receives tons of national attention every year.

And as much as Brown has struggled to get WVU climbing back to national relevance, UMass has been far worse at their level of football, going 6-28 under Don Brown.

The money disparity is another factor here. Don Brown’s 2024 salary at UMass was $800,000. Neal Brown is on a $4 million salary. And of course, that doesn’t even speak to the buyout differences etc.

Now if West Virginia fires Brown, and that’s still a big “IF” right now, would he consider being the head coach at UMass over an assistant role at a bigger school? Possibly. The 12-team College Football Playoff format can make some non Power Four type jobs attractive, just talking on the field.

But with that said, nothing in Cole’s story suggests Brown is headed there as things stand currently.

It’s also worth noting that while Dana Holgorsen, Brown’s predecessor at WVU, did leave the Mountaineers for what was a program in a lower level at that time, he did so knowing full well Houston was headed for the Big 12.

For a related story, a somber mood looms over Neal Brown and his WVU football team.