West Virginia athletics director Shane Lyons resigned Monday under pressure, ending a seven-year run at his alma mater. The move was first reported by WVMetroNews.
The fate of football coach Neal Brown could be tethered to Lyons’ departure. It was Lyons who hired Brown in January 2019 and convinced university administrators to award a contract extension after the 2020 season. Brown is 21-24 in his fourth year with the Mountaineers and would be owed a buyout of nearly $17 million, his remaining salary on a deal that runs through 2026.
A statement later released from West Virginia University said, “Though Lyons’ departure indicates a shift, (President Gordon) Gee added no changes to the football program will be made in the coming weeks.”
“We are supporting Coach Neal Brown and our team as we complete our season over the next few weeks,” Gee said in the release. “We are aware there are some deficiencies, but we have not given up on the coach and the team, and they have not given up on each other. The evaluation of the football program will be the first task of our new athletic director and no changes will be made until that review has been completed.”
As West Virginia launches a search for Lyons’ replacement, the new AD also is likely to oversee the twilight of…
