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Heather Dinich, ESPN Senior Writer
ARLINGTON, Texas — West Virginia coach Neal Brown was on vacation in Florida with his family earlier this month when the Big 12 preseason media poll was released and his Mountaineers were chosen to finish last out of 14 teams.
His vacation was ruined, and the prediction, he asserted, was wrong.
“It really kind of pissed me off because I really think it’s kind of lazy reporting in some senses,” Brown told ESPN on Thursday. “We won’t finish where we’re predicted to finish.”
Brown, who conceded that he is facing pressure after last year’s 5-7 finish, pointed to several reasons he believes his team will be better, none bigger than the 132 combined starts returning on the offensive line. Brown called running back CJ Donaldson a “budding superstar” who had four 100-yard rushing games before his 2022 season was cut short by a lower leg injury.
The coach also noted that West Virginia is one of the few teams in the Big 12 that has an all-conference defender at each level.
“We did beat Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, and they’re ranked way higher than us, and we beat them at the end of the year, so it wasn’t that long ago,” Brown said. “I do think we’re going to be an improved football team. This is the best offensive unit we’ve had.”
West Virginia closed its season by beating Oklahoma 23-20 and Oklahoma State 24-19 in two of its final three games. The Sooners were picked to finish third, with the Cowboys at No. 7. Both of those programs received at least one first-place vote.
Texas was chosen to win the Big 12 in the media poll; reporters have selected the correct conference champion five times in the past decade.
Brown said he will resume calling plays this year, something he relinquished last fall for the first time in his head-coaching career. Last year, former offensive coordinator Graham Harrell called the plays before leaving for Purdue. Throughout spring practice, Brown and first-year offensive coordinator Chad Scott shared the playcalling duties.
“The decision goes back to, we’re in a year where we need to have success,” Brown said. “That’s not something I try to hide from. … Really, in a pivotal year, you fall back to your strengths. Last year didn’t go the way we wanted to. We underachieved, especially on the offensive side of the ball.”
Brown, who is entering his fifth season at West Virginia, has yet to post a seven-win season. The Mountaineers’ only winning season under Brown was the coronavirus-shortened 2020 campaign. The offense has consistently ranked in the lower half of the Big 12, and the defense allowed nearly 33 points per game in 2022. Only Kansas allowed more.
He said part of the defensive drop-off could be attributed to the fact the team lost six starters in a three-month period.
“We went out and really corrected what we thought was our glaring weakness last year, which was our secondary,” Brown said. “So I think we have a chance to be the most improved. I’m not saying we’re going to go defensively into the top part of the country, but I do think we’re going to be vastly improved. I like our team. I’m energized. Our guys are going to play with a chip on their shoulder.”
