Saturday’s game against James Madison makes WVU coach Neal Brown’s debut with the Mountaineers. Here is a look at other head coaching debuts at West Virginia since 1950:
1950: Art ‘Pappy’ Lewis
Beat Western Reserve, 38-13
Ross Herron catches seven passes for 121 yards and a touchdown to lead the Mountaineers to the win.
First-year record: 2-8
Lewis went on to lead WVU to five Southern Conference titles in the ‘50s as well as the program’s first Top-10 finish in 1953.
1960: Gene Corum
Lost to Maryland, 31-8
The worst team in West Virginia history got off to a sufficiently sorry start against the Terps.
First-year record: 0-8-2
Corum rebounded to lead WVU to two SoCon titles and a then-rare trip to the Liberty Bowl in 1964.
1966: Jim Carlen
Lost at Duke, 34-15
West Virginia managed only eight first downs against the Blue Devils.
First-year record: 3-5-2
In his final season, Carlen led the Mountaineers to their first appearance in the Top 20 since 1955.
1970: Bobby Bowden
Beat William & Mary, 40-7
The Mountaineers racked up 623 yards of offense — an extraordinary number for that era. It stood as the program record until 1993’s blowout win over Syracuse.
First-year record: 8-3
Bowden took over a program in strong shape after the previous year’s Peach Bowl win. He’d go on to be the second-winningest coach in FBS history.
1976: Frank Cignetti
Beat Villanova, 28-7
The Wildcats passed for 11 yards in a dominant start for Cignetti’s defense.
First-year record: 5-6
A three-game October losing streak to Boston College, Penn State and Virginia Tech sunk Cignetti’s promising beginning. He never had a winning season.
1980: Don Nehlen
Beat Cincinnati, 41-27
John Denver served as the opening act in the explosive opener at New Mountaineer Field.
First-year record: 6-6
The Mountaineers earned a Peach Bowl bid as Nehlen quickly brought the program to new heights. He retired with the most wins in program history.
2001: Rich Rodriguez
Lost at Boston College, 34-14
BC running back William Green toasted the Mountaineers for 204 yards and three touchdowns.
First-year record: 3-8
Rich Rod had a rough first year, but the promise of the future was unleashed in an 80-7 pasting of Rutgers.
2008: Bill Stewart
Beat Oklahoma, 48-28
Stewart’s stirring pregame speech and resounding win over the Sooners helped clinch the full-time job after he took over for Rodriguez for the Sugar Bowl.
First-year record: 9-4
The first of three 9-4 seasons under Stewart, whose tenure ended mired in acrimony as he tried to torpedo coach-in-waiting Dana Holgorsen.
2011: Dana Holgorsen
Beat Marshall, 34-13
Coaching a year earlier than scheduled, Holgorsen dispatched the Thundering Herd and led WVU to its final Big East title.
First-year record: 10-3
The remainder of Holgorsen’s career never met the promise of a 70-33 Orange Bowl knockout of Clemson.
