3 Keys to Victory: WVU Football Must Follow Blueprint to Beat Pitt, Win Backyard Brawl

There’s no denying the magnitude of the 106th edition of the Backyard Brawl for the WVU football program. And while West Virginia played a better Pitt team close last year, close means nothing in a rivalry game.

Neal Brown and his Mountaineers won’t be celebrated for another close loss. Excuses about officiating or any controversy won’t matter to West Virginia fans. The first Backyard Brawl in Morgantown in over a decade is a must-win for WVU. Brown can’t let another chance to beat Pitt get away, especially with the 107th version of this historic rivalry not yet on the schedule.

So what do the Mountaineers need to do to defend their home field advantage and end Saturday night with a big win.

Make Life Difficult for Phil Jurkovec

Just like last season, Pitt is being led by a veteran transfer quarterback. But there are also already signs that the 2023 script might be similar than what happened in 2022 for the Panthers. Saying Phil Jurkovec struggled against Cincinnati would be an understatement. He threw up a stat line that included only completing 10 out of his 32 passes.

How did the Bearcats have so much success against such an experienced quarterback? They rushed, and rushed, and then rushed some more. They also made him deal with a secondary that didn’t make mistakes and won one-on-one battles.

The plan to beat Jurkovec and Pitt is there, but if West Virginia can administer it like Cincinnati did is another story. The hype was there about the WVU defense being deeper and even being better, but that hasn’t been the case through two games. The pressure is on the defensive line to bring the heat and the safeties and corners to step up their games. That’s also what needs to happen for the Mountaineers to win, especially since the odds of a veteran quarterback struggling mightily in back-to-back weeks is unlikely.

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WVU Must Win Battle of Trenches

The offensive line is the strength of the Mountaineers. Zach Frazier, Doug Nester and Wyatt Millum can compete with any defensive line in the country. That’s been said after wins, and even after losses. But it’s more important than ever before in the Backyard Brawl.

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Pitt has a defensive line built to stop the run. Obviously, shutting down the West Virginia running game will be a tall task, but if any defense can do it, the Panthers might be poised to get the job done. WVU’s offensive line has to win the battle of the trenches and do what they can to assist the running backs and Garrett Greene whenever he decides to take off with his legs. If Pitt’s defensive line takes over, it could be a very long night for the Mountaineers.

Garrett Greene Must Play Smart

Garrett Greene, much like any starting quarterback, could be argued as the key to any game for West Virginia. With that said, this is the biggest game he’s played in so far, and maybe will remain the biggest game his team is part of all season. Greene has to bring his A+ game.

And his A+ game in the Backyard Brawl doesn’t have to mean explode like he did against Oklahoma last season. What it means is Greene can’t make big mistakes. He can’t turn the ball over. He needs to make the right call on when to run and when to throw. He also needs to use his security blanket of Kole Taylor to bail him out when necessary. He needs to look all over and find open receiver down the field, something he failed to do in State College but did do more of in the win over Duquesne.

Pitt will want to make Greene beat them with his arm, and he will have to use that arm at times. But he doesn’t need to do mote than what’s in front of him either. Make plays, but don’t try to make plays exist when they are impossible.

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Greene can’t try to do too much. A punt is much better than a fumble lost or an interception. He needs to know that. He’s fired up, but he needs to be calm, cool and collected to win a game that could change the course of the West Virginia program.

An extra note that is another key, the WVU fans at the game needs to be at their best too. I get some might want to root against Brown and his team, thinking that would trigger a new era of Mountaineer football, but that shouldn’t be the plan for this game. If you want a victory over Pitt, and you want to avoid hearing from your friends and neighbors on the other side of the Backyard Brawl for years and years until this game is played again, you should do what you can to make being at home an advantage for West Virginia.

Make it West Virginia vs. the world. That’s at least the atmosphere Brown is hoping for on Saturday night. “I hope it’s electric,” said Brown with a sense of excitement. “This is one that’s been circled for a long time. It’s been sold out for a long time. A lot of people coming into town for this. It’s a great opportunity.”

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The Backyard Brawl kicks off from Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia. And for those who will be missing out on experiencing the rivalry in person, the game will be televised nationally on ABC.