WVU HC Neal Brown Offers Rallying Cry for His Team in Wake of Loss to Penn State

STATE COLLEGE, Pa –  Despite the loss, WVU head coach Neal Brown was still feeling confident about his team in the wake of West Virginias’s 38-15 loss to Penn State.

Brown opened his postgame press conference with a rallying cry for the rest of the season. “Tough opener. They’re really good, really talented. I’m zero discouraged with our guys,” Brown said about his team.

“They’ve got a team that’s capable of making the playoff, we’ve got a good football team,” he added. Brown knows his team has plenty of room to improve, but also saw signs that the 2023 Mountaineers are better than the group that finished 2022 with a 5-7 record.

“I have no doubt we will bounce back. We are onward and upwards,” said Brown with confidence. “We had opportunities. I came in and wanted to be aggressive. We had some plays and we didn’t convert. They deserve their number 7 ranking.”

WVU HC Neal Brown: “I have no doubt we will bounce back. We are onward and upwards.”

— Mike J. Asti (@MikeAsti11) September 3, 2023

Brown’s tone was one of a coach who still believes in his players, but also one of a coach that has to be frustrated. What happened in the past may not have any barring on 2023, but it’s also impossible to ignore. This now marks the third straight year WVU traveled away from Morgantown to face a former regional rival and lost.

And even though a loss to a top 10 opponent isn’t one that should ruin a season, it’s up to Brown to now make sure West Virginia does not let thing snowball again. Last season, WVU followed up a tough loss in the Backyard Brawl with an overtime loss to Kansas at home. That caused the Mountaineers to start a season 0-2 for the first time since before Don Nehlen took over.

“Of course I’m disappointed. There’s a s#!t ton invested in this. So am disappointed? Yes. Am I discouraged with our team? No. We won’t be going back to Morgantown hanging out heads,” Brown said as a way of trying to make it clear to fans that this year would be different.

Brown even pointed out there are plenty West Virginia teams that rebounded after losing to Penn State throughout history to put together a sold season.

Fortunately for Brown and WVU, another 0-2 start is incredibly unlikely. And that has nothing to do this team being better. WVU kicks off their home opener against an FCS opponent in Duquesne next week.

Watch more from Neal Brown in his full press conference below.