MORGANTOWN — New West Virginia assistant coach ShaDon Brown and head coach Neal Brown may have both grown up in Danville, Ky., but like any mid-American town, it was split down the middle with separate high schools.
For ShaDon, he attended the town’s namesake, Danville High School, while Neal went to Boyle County High School, just over two miles and a seven-minute drive away. In the mid-1990s, the two Browns — no relation — faced each other on the gridiron multiple times, with Neal coming out on top most times.
With an even-keeled demeanor now, it may seem hard to believe Neal used to make sure he got in a few words.
“Coach Brown was the biggest crap-talker that I’ve ever played against,” ShaDon said with a laugh Thursday. “He’s a jawer, a little bit.”
When Neal had a chance to respond, he said, “It’s been so long ago, I can’t even remember. I do know that we won our share … how about that?”
During a 1996 playoff game between Boyle County and Danville, ShaDon recalled a play at the goal line where he was the running back and believed he scored, but after the play, Neal knocked the ball out and acted like he recovered a fumble, only to have the officials award the ball to Neal and Boyle County, squandering a scoring chance for ShaDon and Danville.
“He always says he was playing through the whistle and I said he was trying to manipulate the rules,” ShaDon said.
After going their separate ways after high school, ShaDon and Neal are finally on the same side with the Mountaineers after ShaDon was hired in February to replace Jahmile Addae, who left for Georgia, as the new defensive backs coach and co-defensive coordinator.
ShaDon came from Louisville, where he spent two years, with previous stops at Colorado, Army and Wofford.
Prior to working in the college ranks, he coached high school football in Kentucky as a head coach at Rowan County High from 2008-10. In 2007, he was an assistant coach at his former rival and Neal’s alma mater, Boyle County,
ShaDon said many felt he wasn’t deserving of the opportunity at Rowan County, but is thankful he got support from Tom Brown, Neal’s father, who helped him get the job.
Tom was a teacher and administrator at the time.
“He was a guy that got me into high school football for four years,” ShaDon said. “It was because of Tom Brown and I’ve got a great respect and rapport with the family. Tom is always someone that I lean on and someone I always ask questions when I’m in an employment situation, and believe me, I called him when I found out about this opportunity.”
Spring football schedule uncertain
Neal Brown said the spring game is still set for April 24, but the exact schedule for spring football hasn’t been decided after the Mountaineers had COVID-19 issues at the beginning of February.
“We’ll probably extend our winter program at least another week or maybe two,” he said. “The end date will stay the same with April 24, because that gives us one week in the semester before finals, and our players will have down time during the month of May.”
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