Coach Neal Brown: “Trusting The Climb” A Message to Mountaineer Nation

Coach Neal Brown: “Trusting The Climb” A Message to Mountaineer Nation

This article is coming from a person who not only believes in head coach Neal Brown but, someone who went through the process with him for four years. I was an offensive lineman at Troy University while coach Neal Brown and the staff was there. During those times we had great success. Before the success we had to go through the gauntlet of hard times, really pushing ourselves as players and becoming more disciplined. The culture needed to change and it started from the inside the locker room. 

My Freshman year at Troy is a lot like it is right now for you, mountaineer nation. Some frustration, growing pains, just a lot of inconveniences. The big thing that Coach Brown and the staff stressed was to really get close to one another. Playing for your brother. To do that we spent a lot of time together, becoming a tight-knit group. Playing for something bigger than oneself. It is important to know that, even though this season has not been the best, taking shots the chin, just know a lot is changing more than you know. 

For us at Troy, we had to become more mentally tough to win those close games. So what the coaches did was challenge us constantly in mental toughness, pushing yourself just that extra inch to keep going and finish. Looking back on the 2015 season and also reflecting the 2016-2018 season and the only way we have three straight bowl victories, one conference championship, and back to back seasons defeating a power 5 team. It did not happen overnight, it started with the players buying in and trusting the process. My statement to the West Virginia players, if any decides to read this and if I can tell you anything, believe in what is going on. It might suck right now but this is shaping you guys right now to be a very successful program. 

Coach Brown stated after the game that they will build a successful program. He also talked about how much he appreciated the fans, and I promise you Mountaineer Nation no other coaching staff appreciates their fan base than these coaches. At Troy, our coaches really stressed being involved in the community. When we made it personal to build relationships with people in the community we then as individuals and as a team became closer. It no longer meant playing for just the team, but for the entire Troy community. 

Mountaineer Nation, coming from someone who really respects Coach Brown and his amazing coaching staff. All I can say is #TrustTheClimb. The cliche saying “If it was easy, everybody would do it”. All I can promise you is, this team will be a different team a year from now, and this season will be something to look back and make you appreciate the tough times. I am a bit biased about these coaches, given I played for them but, what I love about them and will stick up for them any day of the week is that they are the hardest working coaches in the country. 

-By: Zach Branner

Writer/Interviewer