Cummings and Goings: The WVSports.com: 3-2-1

WVSports.com continues with our popular feature: The 3-2-1. We'll break down three things we learned that week, two questions we have and give one prediction.

Here is the next installment of the 3-2-1 looking at the West Virginia football program, the latest on basketball, and what’s happening in recruiting.

3 things I learned:

1–Neal Brown era over. After the 52-15 loss to Texas Tech and a 6-6 season with high expectations, West Virginia Athletic Director Wren Baker made the decision to relieve head coach Neal Brown of his duties after six seasons.

Brown was 37-35 during his time atop the program, but just 25-28 in the Big 12 Conference. The head coach struggled against ranked teams going just 3-17 during his six years atop the program and while he did win a pair of bowl games it simply wasn't enough for the administration to keep him on board.

The Mountaineers were just 7-29 against teams with a winning record and in a proud program with a rich tradition that simply isn't going to cut it. That isn't personal, because Brown has always been a good man, but in a results-based business is true.

West Virginia came into the season with a lot of momentum and off the backs of a nine win season, but simply didn't get it done. The six wins qualified the team for a bowl, but the Mountaineers didn't record a single win over a team that qualified for a bowl game.

West Virginia will now begin a national search to find his replacement and time is ticking in order to make that hire. The early signing period begins in just a few short days and then the transfer portal window opens Dec. 9.

Baker has already stated that the coaching search is underway and finding who that next candidate will be will be critical in today's college game. The Mountaineers now will look to make their next step in an ever-changing college landscape with new leadership atop the football program.

The decision is expected to cost West Virginia $9.7 million to buyout Brown from his contract and now the focus will be on finding who will be next up.

Baker has already proven himself more than capable of leading these searches with the early returns on DeVries, but unlike that one there is much more of a tight timeline. Still, Baker doesn't make this decision without a clear direction in mind.

2–West Virginia makes a statement. The Mountaineers didn't win the Battle 4 Atlantis, but the program certainly made a statement beating a pair of ranked teams in No. 3 Gonzaga and No. 24 Arizona to go 2-1 in the tournament and a third place finish.

The win over the Bulldogs was a massive one for the program and the most highly ranked opponent that an unranked West Virginia team has pulled off since 2009. The Mountaineers fell in overtime to Louisville, but bounced back to win another overtime game against an Arizona team that stormed back to tie it in regulation.

Throughout the three days, the Mountaineers got some strong performances up and down the roster from different players with Javon Small, Tucker DeVries, Amani Hansberry and Toby Okani all having big moments along with others.

There were plenty of questions about this West Virginia basketball team heading into this event especially after a lopsided road loss to Pittsburgh but this stretch helped to clear up some things about this team. This is a basketball team that is going to fight and battle on both ends of the floor and while it isn't perfect, it's a fun brand of watch.

The Gonzaga win is one that not only got the attention of West Virginia fans under new head coach Darian DeVries but the college basketball community at large. And had it not been for a questionable whistle against Louisville in the second half perhaps the Mountaineers might have been able to take home the entire thing.

Still, West Virginia now sits at 5-2 on the season with losses to Pittsburgh and Louisville and a schedule that sets itself up quite nicely to round out the non-conference. Thing won't be easy when Big 12 play begins on the road at Kansas, but this Mountaineers team can walk away from this experience learning a lot about itself and proving to others that they're more than ready to compete in year one under DeVries.

It's a long way off, but West Virginia now has neutral site wins over Gonzaga and Arizona to add to their resume which is quite the shot in the arm.

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