Neal Brown opens up on adjusting to NIL, using it to West Virginia's advantage

It’s taken many college football coaches a few years to get adjusted to the concept of NIL and how it impacts their programs, but some are starting to feel in a pretty good rhythm, like West Virginia coach Neal Brown.

Brown, who is coming off a resurgent season on the field in 2023, is looking to parlay that success into more on the recruiting trail.

He was asked about how big a factor NIL is in creating a strong recruiting pitch, particularly when it comes to working with local businesses to set up an NIL infrastructure.

“I wish it was as simple as just a local concept, right?” Neal Brown said. “I think you’ve got to think big picture on this. And from an NIL standpoint, from a head coaching perspective, it’s money in and money out. And we’re tasked with a lot of the money coming in. So I’ve grown in that realm of how to do it and how to be productive in it.”

Just one more task that college football coaches now have on their plates. For Brown, though, that’s all fine.

If NIL affords him the chance to get a leg up on his competition, he’s going to take it. But it takes a high degree of organizational skill to make sure it all happens without a hitch.

“And also I think it’s about figuring out what people are — and I’m talking about donors and supporters of your program — who’s wanting to help in what areas,” Neal Brown said. “There’s some that are really interested in NIL, there are some that are really interested in facilities. And you’ve got to figure out which people to go to, and that takes a little bit of time. But there’s definitely a fundraising piece to NIL that I don’t know if anyone’s arrived at it, but we feel like we’re in a better rhythm.”

While NIL has gotten a bad rap in certain corners — and it can certainly be used in negative ways at times — Brown seems pretty on board with it at this point.

For his players, it simply represents the chance to have a better college career, a better life.

“For your players, these are opportunities,” Neal Brown said. “Everything in your life is about relationships. What we talk about is if you can garner those relationships, you can build those relationships, then it’s only going to increase your value at West Virginia and beyond.”