North Texas hires Neal Brown as head coach

The North Texas Mean Green are still in the Eric Morris era, until the team’s historic 2025 run finally concludes.

North Texas awaits an American Conference Championship Game and potential College Football Playoff appearance, but first, the program set its sights to next year. Neal Brown was named the head coach of the Mean Green for 2026, replacing Morris who accepted a position at Oklahoma State on Tuesday, Nov. 25.

“We are thrilled to welcome Neal Brown as our next head football coach,” North Texas athletic director Jared Mosley said in a statement. “Neal is a proven leader who builds programs with integrity, vision and an unwavering commitment to developing student-athletes on and off the field. His history of elevating rosters, developing talent and producing results in highly competitive leagues makes him an ideal fit for North Texas. We are confident that his leadership will position the Mean Green for sustained success, and we look forward to the impact he and his family will have on our program and our community for years to come.”

Brown has now held an FBS head coaching position at three different schools, previously serving as the frontman at Troy (2015-18) and West Virginia (2019-24). At Troy, Brown compiled a 35-16 record, finishing 3-0 in bowl games with three-straight 10+ win tenures to conclude his tenure. He won the Sun Belt title in 2017, one year prior to the advent of the league’s championship game. At West Virginia, Brown finished 37-35 and qualified for four bowl games, most notably faring 9-4 in 2023. Despite posting a 6-6 overall and 5-4 conference record in 2024, he was fired prior to the Mountaineers’ Frisco Bowl vs. Memphis.

The 45-year coach spent this past season as an assistant to head coach Steve Sarkisian at Texas, and he’ll remain in the Lone Star State as he travels north to Denton.

Morris committed to coaching the remainder of North Texas’ successful season, which includes Friday’s American Conference Championship at Tulane and the ensuing CFP/bowl game(s). But Brown will be in command of other operations such as class of 2026 recruiting — hired one day prior to National Signing Day.

Brown inherits a North Texas team that is currently 11-1, shattering the program record for wins and earning an AP Poll ranking for the first time since 1959. The Mean Green are situated at No. 20 at the time of his hire — tied for its second-highest ranking in school history.

“I am incredibly excited about the opportunity to partner with Jared in leading North Texas Football!” Brown said in a statement. “Several key criteria drove my analysis of opportunities this cycle – alignment, relationships, resources, opportunity, and community. Jared and his team presented a clear vision of why North Texas and Denton check all those boxes and then some. Football in Texas is special and my family and I can’t wait to pour everything we have into the North Texas campus and Denton. Most importantly, our program will always be a player-driven program, and I look forward to getting to know this team and building our roster for the future! For now, let’s all get behind the Mean Green as they prepare to win an American Conference Championship.”

Five American Conference vacancies opened during the 2025 season — UAB, North Texas, Tulane, South Florida, and Memphis — and North Texas is the first of the five fulfilled.