I had the opportunity to attend the Coaches Caravan in Martinsburg + the earlier MAC event leading up to it on Thursday.
It was a good event and it was great to get to ask some questions 1-on-1 directly to Wren, Ronnie Everhart, and Neal.
Below are some of the highlights of what Neal had to say when I talked with him + when he spoke at the main event:
- On what's at stake next season: He knows he has to win or he's gone. He said he's always loved the Man in the Arena quote from Teddy Roosevelt (as an entrepreneur, I also love this quote... provided below).
He knew when he took the job that the pressure was going to be high and he has to perform.
- On opening @ Penn St: He said they tried to get Duquesne moved to Week 0 to get some prep before this game but Duquesne couldn't (wouldn't?) make things work.
He mentioned multiple times they're going to be playing in front of 100k fans on the road against a team with multiple first round picks on the roster on NBC with the entire nation watching.
If I'm honest, it sounded to me like he was intimidated, but I probably don't blame him with what's at stake and having to start a brand new quarterback.
He said the margins for error will be extremely slim but he thinks they have a chance.
- On what to expect next season: He said they have one of the two best OLs in the conference, one of the deepest RB rooms in the conference, and overall an offense that is going to put up points.
He said the defense doesn't have as much experience as the offense does but they've made some changes that will make them more competitive (not sure they could be any worse).
- On next season's schedule: He said Oliver didn't do him any favors when he put together the upcoming season's schedule... It's going to be one of the most difficult schedules in the country.
- On the QB battle: I asked him about this when we spoke and the answer was what you'd expect. Two talented QBs, neither of them positioned themselves as the clear starter. GG played slightly better in the spring but it's very much either man's job depending on how they do in the fall.
He said he's confident they can win with either of them.
---
My personal take on things:
- Talking to Neal 1-on-1 was a bit awkward... He felt very uncomfortable being in a situation where he was forced to interact with donors. I get that to an extent, but that's part of the job and not one he seemed very confident about.
- He said several things (schedule, atmosphere @ Penn St, what's at stake) that makes me think the pressure is weighing pretty heavily on him.
I also didn't see much interaction between him and Wren... Not sure if that was a sign of a strained relationship (Wren seemed to be pretty buddy buddy with most everybody else... He's definitely somebody with confidence and I think will do well at WVU).
---
Other random notes:
- We (wife and I) finally got our new MAC rep after the departure of Derek Gonzalez (took a job at Oklahoma).
Rep is Kyle Poland, Morgantown native and former WVU long snapper.
It's great to have a true Mountaineer in that role. Most of the others in the MAC are guys trying to make a career who have no real loyalty to WVU. That doesn't mean they can't be successful here and do great things for our University, but hopefully Kyle is somebody who will stick around and build his career in Morgantown vs jumping somewhere else the first time he has the chance.
- Talked to the new Mountaineer for awhile... Great kid from Boone County. I know the previous Mountaineer (Mary) wasn't very popular, but I think he'll be much more appreciated.
Said he'd been in the role for 2.5 weeks and already had 32 events and will do more than 400 in his one year as the mascot (not sure how he'll get his classwork done with that kind of a schedule but he's a senior so he'll figure it out).
Said it's crazy going home and being asked for his autograph in the drive-thru at McDonald's.
- Wren definitely knows how to work a room and there's no doubt he's an alpha. I doubt he's in Morgantown long-term, but I'm confident he's going to bring in more donor money while he's here.
He talked about WVU having one of the lowest budgets in the Big 12 and we have to be able to do more with less. He said he's confident he can navigate that but he said he's also going to find ways to bring in more money to put things in better balance.
- Overall, I think by the end of the fall, WVU athletics is going to be in a much better position. Either Neal is going to find a way to right the ship (unlikely, but I'm rooting for it) or Wren is going to bring in a winner.
Lots of positives in other sports, and our new women's basketball coach seems like he'll be a great fit while he's here (said his teams are in the top 20 for forced turnovers every season, including #1 in the country recently).
I like the direction we're headed and I think we're going to see more things to be excited about in the near future (like we are with baseball right now).
It was a good event and it was great to get to ask some questions 1-on-1 directly to Wren, Ronnie Everhart, and Neal.
Below are some of the highlights of what Neal had to say when I talked with him + when he spoke at the main event:
- On what's at stake next season: He knows he has to win or he's gone. He said he's always loved the Man in the Arena quote from Teddy Roosevelt (as an entrepreneur, I also love this quote... provided below).
He knew when he took the job that the pressure was going to be high and he has to perform.
- On opening @ Penn St: He said they tried to get Duquesne moved to Week 0 to get some prep before this game but Duquesne couldn't (wouldn't?) make things work.
He mentioned multiple times they're going to be playing in front of 100k fans on the road against a team with multiple first round picks on the roster on NBC with the entire nation watching.
If I'm honest, it sounded to me like he was intimidated, but I probably don't blame him with what's at stake and having to start a brand new quarterback.
He said the margins for error will be extremely slim but he thinks they have a chance.
- On what to expect next season: He said they have one of the two best OLs in the conference, one of the deepest RB rooms in the conference, and overall an offense that is going to put up points.
He said the defense doesn't have as much experience as the offense does but they've made some changes that will make them more competitive (not sure they could be any worse).
- On next season's schedule: He said Oliver didn't do him any favors when he put together the upcoming season's schedule... It's going to be one of the most difficult schedules in the country.
- On the QB battle: I asked him about this when we spoke and the answer was what you'd expect. Two talented QBs, neither of them positioned themselves as the clear starter. GG played slightly better in the spring but it's very much either man's job depending on how they do in the fall.
He said he's confident they can win with either of them.
---
My personal take on things:
- Talking to Neal 1-on-1 was a bit awkward... He felt very uncomfortable being in a situation where he was forced to interact with donors. I get that to an extent, but that's part of the job and not one he seemed very confident about.
- He said several things (schedule, atmosphere @ Penn St, what's at stake) that makes me think the pressure is weighing pretty heavily on him.
I also didn't see much interaction between him and Wren... Not sure if that was a sign of a strained relationship (Wren seemed to be pretty buddy buddy with most everybody else... He's definitely somebody with confidence and I think will do well at WVU).
---
Other random notes:
- We (wife and I) finally got our new MAC rep after the departure of Derek Gonzalez (took a job at Oklahoma).
Rep is Kyle Poland, Morgantown native and former WVU long snapper.
It's great to have a true Mountaineer in that role. Most of the others in the MAC are guys trying to make a career who have no real loyalty to WVU. That doesn't mean they can't be successful here and do great things for our University, but hopefully Kyle is somebody who will stick around and build his career in Morgantown vs jumping somewhere else the first time he has the chance.
- Talked to the new Mountaineer for awhile... Great kid from Boone County. I know the previous Mountaineer (Mary) wasn't very popular, but I think he'll be much more appreciated.
Said he'd been in the role for 2.5 weeks and already had 32 events and will do more than 400 in his one year as the mascot (not sure how he'll get his classwork done with that kind of a schedule but he's a senior so he'll figure it out).
Said it's crazy going home and being asked for his autograph in the drive-thru at McDonald's.
- Wren definitely knows how to work a room and there's no doubt he's an alpha. I doubt he's in Morgantown long-term, but I'm confident he's going to bring in more donor money while he's here.
He talked about WVU having one of the lowest budgets in the Big 12 and we have to be able to do more with less. He said he's confident he can navigate that but he said he's also going to find ways to bring in more money to put things in better balance.
- Overall, I think by the end of the fall, WVU athletics is going to be in a much better position. Either Neal is going to find a way to right the ship (unlikely, but I'm rooting for it) or Wren is going to bring in a winner.
Lots of positives in other sports, and our new women's basketball coach seems like he'll be a great fit while he's here (said his teams are in the top 20 for forced turnovers every season, including #1 in the country recently).
I like the direction we're headed and I think we're going to see more things to be excited about in the near future (like we are with baseball right now).
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