Neal Brown will be the next head coach at North Texas
Former Kentucky wide receiver and offensive coordinator Neal Brown did not have to wait long to be a head coach again. The 45-year-old will be the leader of a college football program again in 2026.
The Danville (Ky.) Boyle County alum will replace Eric Morris at North Texas after the former Texas Tech wide receiver agreed to become the next head coach at Oklahoma State.
“We are thrilled to welcome Neal Brown as our next head football coach,” UNT vice president and director of athletics Jared Mosley said. “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.”
Neal Brown was an offensive coordinator at Troy (2008-09) and Texas Tech (2010-12) before returning to Kentucky. After spending two seasons in Lexington as Mark Stoops‘ first offensive coordinator, Brown left to become the head coach at Troy. In four season, Brown led the Trojans to three double-digit win seasons and one Sun Belt title. That led to an opportunity at West Virginia where Brown spent six seasons and finished with a 37-35 record before being dismissed at the end of the 2024 season.
However, the long-time head coach did not take any time off and joined Steve Sarkisian‘s Texas program in a support staff role. His time in the Lonestar State is not done yet. Neal Brown will move to Denton where he will take over a program that will be fresh off an all-time season.
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North Texas will play Tulane for a conference championship this weekend. That game will involve Jon Sumrall who once worked for Neal Brown at Troy. Brown could use a successful run in the American Conference to get another opportunity to be a power conference head coach again.
Neal Brown thanks Mark Stoops
Neal Brown had a very busy day. The former Troy and West Virginia coach received another chance to run a program. But that did not stop Brown from taking the time to thank his former boss.
After Mark Stoops released a statement thanking his former Kentucky players, staff members, and the Big Blue Nation, Brown took time to thank Stoops on social team.
Throughout the week, many have honored Stoops and thanked him for his work over the last 13 years in Lexington. Neal Brown did the same as a former player, staff member, and fan of the Kentucky football program.
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