Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Tony’s Take: WVU's Brown Walking on Water in Almost Heaven
January 27, 2019 09:00 AM | Football, Blog, Tony's Take
Tony's Take is a monthly Mountaineer sports column written by veteran West Virginia University play-by-play man Tony Caridi.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - A Charleston buddy who likes to tease called me the other day. Before I could finish hello he said, "Hey boy, I saw your new football coach this morning down here."
"Really," I replied.
He said, "Yeah, he was walking across the Kanawha River."
I paused, and then his punch line registered. Yes, the early days of Neal Brown's tenure have gone quite swimmingly haven't they?
While WVU's new football coach may not be exactly walking on water, he has captured Mountaineer Nation's attention for all the right reasons.
Within a day of saying all the right things at his introductory press conference, Brown made invaluable visits to Morgantown and University High Schools.
Over the next few days, visits were reported around the state. He didn't quite complete the ultimate cycle - from Weirton to Welch, Martinsburg to Matewan and all points in between, however, chances are he will in the not-too-distant future. His trip to Bluefield High School in the wake of the tragic passing of Tony Webster will never be forgotten.
What Neal Brown is learning on these visits is likely confirming what he already believed: West Virginia football fans love their team, they're unbelievably passionate and they badly want to win.
He's also learning that Mountaineer fans are not crazy fanatic. They will choose winning right over winning at all costs. They want to feel good about their coach and their program, and the older generation would love to rekindle that Nehlen-feelin' that made everyone so warm and fuzzy in the 1980s.
It could happen. WVU's new coach seems to have had the perfect apprenticeship to prepare for his new role. He's seen and coached the game at different levels. He has perspective and understands the similarities and the differences he'll deal with it at the college game's highest level.
A fan recently voiced his concern about Brown's ability to recruit. "How can he make the transition from recruiting players to Troy and WVU," the fan asked?
In reality, there is no difference. Recruiting is all about personal relationships among coaches, families and players. The successful recruitment of quarterback Austin Kendall is a testament to the importance of a relationship. While at Kentucky, Brown recruited Kendall before leaving to become the coach at Troy. Kendall wanted to play at a higher level and chose Oklahoma, but once Brown returned to the Power Five, Kendall reunited with the coach.
What changes for Brown and his staff is they now have the ability to recruit every player at a high school on equal footing, although Brown's class that he signed last month at Troy included six players who had legitimate Power 5 offers.
Rather than flying a helicopter to woo a recruit, Brown's staff will keep it on the ground. They've seen how relationship building works, and they'll use the same method in Morgantown. That's why Brown wasted no time in making himself visible in those West Virginia high schools. He's planting the seeds that will eventually produce future Mountaineers.
"They dot the I's and cross the T's," a program insider told me this week. "The sky is the limit for these guys. They get it."
No, Neal Brown isn't going to be walking on the Kanawha River or flying in on a helicopter, but there's a good chance you'll see him soon.
He's been waiting for this opportunity, and he will make sure it works well for everyone involved.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - A Charleston buddy who likes to tease called me the other day. Before I could finish hello he said, "Hey boy, I saw your new football coach this morning down here."
"Really," I replied.
He said, "Yeah, he was walking across the Kanawha River."
I paused, and then his punch line registered. Yes, the early days of Neal Brown's tenure have gone quite swimmingly haven't they?
While WVU's new football coach may not be exactly walking on water, he has captured Mountaineer Nation's attention for all the right reasons.
Within a day of saying all the right things at his introductory press conference, Brown made invaluable visits to Morgantown and University High Schools.
Over the next few days, visits were reported around the state. He didn't quite complete the ultimate cycle - from Weirton to Welch, Martinsburg to Matewan and all points in between, however, chances are he will in the not-too-distant future. His trip to Bluefield High School in the wake of the tragic passing of Tony Webster will never be forgotten.What Neal Brown is learning on these visits is likely confirming what he already believed: West Virginia football fans love their team, they're unbelievably passionate and they badly want to win.
He's also learning that Mountaineer fans are not crazy fanatic. They will choose winning right over winning at all costs. They want to feel good about their coach and their program, and the older generation would love to rekindle that Nehlen-feelin' that made everyone so warm and fuzzy in the 1980s.
It could happen. WVU's new coach seems to have had the perfect apprenticeship to prepare for his new role. He's seen and coached the game at different levels. He has perspective and understands the similarities and the differences he'll deal with it at the college game's highest level.
A fan recently voiced his concern about Brown's ability to recruit. "How can he make the transition from recruiting players to Troy and WVU," the fan asked?
In reality, there is no difference. Recruiting is all about personal relationships among coaches, families and players. The successful recruitment of quarterback Austin Kendall is a testament to the importance of a relationship. While at Kentucky, Brown recruited Kendall before leaving to become the coach at Troy. Kendall wanted to play at a higher level and chose Oklahoma, but once Brown returned to the Power Five, Kendall reunited with the coach.
What changes for Brown and his staff is they now have the ability to recruit every player at a high school on equal footing, although Brown's class that he signed last month at Troy included six players who had legitimate Power 5 offers.
Rather than flying a helicopter to woo a recruit, Brown's staff will keep it on the ground. They've seen how relationship building works, and they'll use the same method in Morgantown. That's why Brown wasted no time in making himself visible in those West Virginia high schools. He's planting the seeds that will eventually produce future Mountaineers.
"They dot the I's and cross the T's," a program insider told me this week. "The sky is the limit for these guys. They get it."
No, Neal Brown isn't going to be walking on the Kanawha River or flying in on a helicopter, but there's a good chance you'll see him soon.
He's been waiting for this opportunity, and he will make sure it works well for everyone involved.
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