John Leuzzi, USA TODAY NETWORKTue, December 2, 2025 at 11:29 PM UTC·3 min readNeal Brown is back in college football.
North Texas football announced on Tuesday, Dec. 2 that it has agreed to terms with former West Virginia football coach to be the successor to Eric Morris.
The Mean Green's hire of Brown comes just over a week after Morris, who will coach the team through the postseason, took the open job at Oklahoma State to succeed Stillwater legend Mike Gundy.
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AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAccording to ESPN, it is expected to be a five-year deal for Brown at North Texas.
"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 been out of college football season Dec. 1 of 2024 when he was fired at West Virginia following a 6-6 finish. He has served as the special assistant to the head coach at Texas this past season under Steve Sarkisian, where he has been able to work with Arch Manning and the Longhorns' offense.
In his six seasons in Morgantown with the Mountaineers, Brown led West Virginia to a 37-35 overall record and three bowl game appearances. The Mountaineers finished with just two winning seasons under Brown, including a 9-4 record in 2023 that was capped off with a win in the Duke's Mayo Bowl against North Carolina.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt is the third stop for Brown in his head coaching career, as he also spent four years at Troy from 2015 through 2018.
"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."
Brown takes over a program at North Texas that has been one of the top programs at the Group of Five conference level this season under Morris. At 11-1 overall on the season, the Mean Green are set to compete in the American Conference championship game on Friday, Dec. 5 against Tulane where they will play for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Virginia Tech hired James Franklin as its next head coach. Franklin was fired earlier this season at Penn State. He replaces Brent Pry, who was fired midseason by the Hokies.
Oklahoma State hired Eric Morris from North Texas to be the Cowboys next head coach. Morris replaces longtime OSU coach Mike Gundy, who was fired earlier this season.
Colorado State hired Jim Mora Jr. as its new head coach. Mora led UConn to back-to-back nine-win seasons and replaces Jay Norvell, who was fired midseason.
Oregon State hired Alabama co-offensive coordinator JaMarcus Shephard as its head coach, replacing Trent Bray who was fired after an 0-7 start this season.1 / 4These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Virginia Tech hired James Franklin as its next head coach. Franklin was fired earlier this season at Penn State. He replaces Brent Pry, who was fired midseason by the Hokies.1 / 4These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Virginia Tech hired James Franklin as its next head coach. Franklin was fired earlier this season at Penn State. He replaces Brent Pry, who was fired midseason by the Hokies.2 / 4These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Oklahoma State hired Eric Morris from North Texas to be the Cowboys next head coach. Morris replaces longtime OSU coach Mike Gundy, who was fired earlier this season.3 / 4These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Colorado State hired Jim Mora Jr. as its new head coach. Mora led UConn to back-to-back nine-win seasons and replaces Jay Norvell, who was fired midseason.4 / 4These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Oregon State hired Alabama co-offensive coordinator JaMarcus Shephard as its head coach, replacing Trent Bray who was fired after an 0-7 start this season.The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThis article originally appeared on USA TODAY: North Texas football hires former West Virginia coach Neal Brown
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