Neal Brown Likes What He Sees At Open Of West Virginia Spring Ball

The WVU Mountaineers returned to the field this week to begin spring practices, and head football coach Neal Brown says the team showed a lot of energy. He also said he wants the team to respond to adversity better.

“In the last two years, I didn’t think we responded to adversity in an elite manner, and we need to do that to improve where we are in the league right now,” he said.

Brown said his staff will continue to create adverse situations this spring to ensure players are able to adjust.

“We have not executed as well as we need to in critical situations when we’ve been fatigued, and we’ve not held our emotions in check in critical situations the way we need to,” Brown said. “The only way to practice that is to continually put people in those and that’s our plan for the spring.”

Another point of emphasis for Brown and the Mountaineers is situational football and adding in reps for the NCAA’s new overtime two-point conversion rule.

“Situational football is number one, critical situations,” Brown said. “[Wednesday] we really worked 2-point [conversion] plays, with the new overtime rules I think that’s going to be something that’s important. Anytime you’re going to have a 2-point situation, it’s going to be critical.”

Beginning this fall, the two-point conversion will be adopted in the second overtime period, and if both teams are successful, the third overtime will begin a two-point conversion shootout.

Brown mentioned linebacker as one area that is extremely thin right now, but said Penn State transfer Lance Dixon will help pad the defense when he arrives.

“We’re in a teaching environment, and we’re trying to get as many people reps as possible,” he said. “Those who perform better will get the first opportunity during fall camp.”