Watch: WVU HC Neal Brown Talks Backyard Brawl on ESPN

WVU head coach Neal Brown appeared on ESPN’s Marty and McGee with Marty Smith and Ryan McGee on Saturday morning. Brown was asked about how the preparation for the Pitt game is going as well as the importance of the Backyard Brawl returning to college football.

“This is going to be a big-time atmosphere on Thursday night,” Brown said. “This is the coal miners versus the steel mill workers. This is a rivalry that’s over 100 years. There’s a strong dislike between the fanbases. You’ll hear that on Thursday night when they play ‘Sweet Caroline’ between the third and fourth quarters, you’ll hear the hatred.”

"These games need to be played."

🗣 @NealBrown_WVU with @MartySmithESPN & @ESPNMcGee pic.twitter.com/JxX9mRGPc4

— West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) August 27, 2022

Brown is heading into his fourth season at West Virginia, entering the biggest game of his tenure as the Mountaineers head coach. Brown arrived to Morgantown in 2019 and has used state of the arc facilities to recruit some of the best classes in the modern recruiting era at WVU. Last season, Brown and his staff got a taste of what it was like to host an old rival in Virginia Tech while also playing Maryland. Now it’s time for the Backyard Brawl to return for the first time in 11 years.