Neal Brown
Track Record:
UMass (TEs/OL) — 2003
Sacred Heart (QBs/WRs) — 2004
Delaware (WRs) — 2005
Troy (WRs) — 2006-07
Troy (OC/QBs) — 2008-09
Texas Tech (OC/QBs) — 2010-12
Kentucky (OC/QBs) — 2013-14
Troy (Head Coach) — 2015-present
Pros: Neal Brown has had phenomenal success as Troy’s head coach. In his second season there, he helped the program win 10 games in a season for the first time in school history since they moved to the FBS in 2001. He went 4-8 in his first year, 10-3 in his second, and 11-2 in his third. This year, Troy is 9-3 and heading to another bowl game. Troy’s offenses haven’t been elite necessarily, but they’ve been impressive, especially for a Sun Belt team. Not only that, but Brown has SEC experience and knows Pruitt through working in Alabama together.
Cons: It’s hard to imagine that Brown would leave a head coaching job to take an offensive coordinator position, especially when his name has been mentioned at other head coaching vacancies. Plus, his two years as Kentucky’s offensive coordinator weren’t the most impressive. His buyout is low, but why would Brown come to UT to be an OC rather than wait for another head coaching opportunity to open up? He’ll be turning just 39 in March, so he shouldn’t be in a huge rush.
