WVU’s Neal Brown: ‘I Am Not A Candidate’ At South Carolina

Many coaches, confronted by questions concerning job vacancies and potential interest from other schools, will avoid direct answers to queries on those topics. Thus, it was quite refreshing to hear West Virginia head coach Neal Brown address “reports” that listed him as a candidate for the job at the University of South Carolina, where head coach Will Muschamp was fired on Nov. 15.

After noting that “everyone with a social media account thinks he is a reporter” – a fair and accurate assessment of the thinking of many these days – Brown was unequivocal with his response to our question concerning any contact he or his representatives may have had with the Gamecock program.

“I will make it clear. I am not a candidate there,” said Brown on Tuesday. “I don’t go about addressing every rumor and everything that’s out there because I think you’ll spin yourself in a web.  I don’t think there’s any way you can keep up. But it’s pretty simple – I’m not a candidate there.”

Brown’s comments are also right on target – there is no way he can possibly respond to every rumor or article that comes up which might list him in connection with another job. Were he to do so, he might not have much time to do anything else as seasons wind down or reach the coaching carousel stage. When the report spin cycle gets into high gear, though, it’s nice to have a comment straight from the subject – and Brown is to be commended for doing so.