Examining WVU's Head Coach Neal Brown's Seat Temperature

After what some might call a monumental collapse in the 4th quarter of the Backyard Brawl while WVU was up by ten with 4:55 left, the hot seat is at an all-time high for Neal Brown, at least according to the fan base.

Please do not get me wrong, Brown is a great man who is passionate about what he does and genuinely cares for his players and staff, all the while being a devoted family man. But, with this most recent loss, the termination train has pulled back into the station in Morgantown, and the buyout bus could soon speed through as well. Fans are calling for this era in WVU football to be over, but, let's see if it is truly warranted by looking at the numbers/stats. As the old saying goes, 'numbers don't lie.'

While revamping the Backyard Brawl, Brown has a record of 1-2 against Pitt. In his tenure at WVU, he sits at 2-14 vs teams ranked in Top 25 polls. His record against BIG XII teams stands at 20-24. This puts him at a record of 32-31 at the helm.

All the while, WVU hasn't been ranked once under Brown after earning a Top 25 spot at least once a season for most of the prior two decades, and has failed to manage a 10-win season under the current administration -- which was accomplished twice by former coach Dana Holgorsen, and multiple times under Rich Rodriguez.

Brown is also six games under .500 against Power 4 schools. The school has shelled out more than $16 million to Brown since 2019.

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A win against Pitt in enemy territory yesterday would have significantly cooled the hot seat off stemming from the Penn State loss, but WVU would lose a 10-point lead with 4:55 left to go in the 4th quarter. With the defense giving entirely too much cushion to Alabama transfer and current Pitt quarterback Eli Holstein, Pitt's drive in the fourth quarter to make it a one-possession game would chew up over 11 yards per play, ending in a pass that was complete for a 40-yard touchdown from Holstein to Daejon Reynolds to make it 34-31 with 3:06 left in the game

On the ensuing drive, WVU would be forced into a 3-and-out, rather quickly giving the ball back to Pitt with 2:05 left to play. Pitt would again drive down and score with minimal effort, roughly half a minute on the clock. From the outside looking in, it appears that some questionable calls played a role in the loss as well as time management.

But give credit where it is due. Eli Holstein was a game manager, and you do not get to Alabama without being able to play the position quite well. The quarterback situation in Pitt last year was atrocious, but Holstein showed maturity beyond his years. So, does this loss fall solely on the coaching staff? Is it time to move on from Brown? Or D, perhaps Defensive Coordinator Jordan Lesley? My answer would be yes on both counts.

I have defended and defended this staff to no end, but if WVU looks to get back to the glory days they must go with a hire that better suits the Mountaineer tradition of winning. Neal Brown has embraced the overall West Virginia culture, but that hasn't translated to the field per se.

WVU needs a firm, but fair coach. A coach who demands respect with the very presence of them in the room. You can't be a "player's coach" and a "people pleaser" at the same time. I do think that it is time to make a change, but WVU will likely not make moves during the season.

That's just not how the university conducts business, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing. But maybe a Power 4 conference school isn't the answer for Brown to continue his coaching career, and that's okay too.