Sources: Neal Brown finalizing deal to coach at North Texas

Neal Brown is finalizing a five-year deal to become the next coach at North Texas, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. He brings 10 years of head coaching experience to the Mean Green, including 35-16 marks at Troy and 37-35 marks at West Virginia.

Brown replaces Eric Morris, who is headed to Oklahoma State after being hired by the Big 12 school last week. Brown has a 5–1 record in bowl games and led Troy to the 2017 Sun Belt title. As head coach of Troy he also defeated LSU and Nebraska. He spent last season on the staff at Texas.

Morris has led North Texas to an 11–1 record this season, and will remain with the Mean Green for the remainder of the season. North Texas will play Tulane in the American Conference title game this weekend, and could make the 12-team College Football Playoff.

Brown spent six seasons coaching at West Virginia before being fired in December 2024. The Mountaineers entered their final campaign with big aspirations, including a Big 12 title and a College Football Playoff appearance, and Brown was incensed when the Mountaineers did not fare well in the preseason polls, raising expectations in Morgantown.

But West Virginia had some uneven performances and never won more than two consecutive games in that final season. Fan and booster anger continued to grow, before he was eventually fired and replaced by Rich Rodriguez.