While the outcome of the Backyard Brawl did not fall in West Virginia’s favor, Neal Brown’s team fought hard until the clock hit zero, especially the defensive line. Defensively, the Mountaineers totaled five sacks and six tackles for loss, led by lineman Dante Stills.
Coach Brown credited the defensive line for “controlling the line of scrimmage” against Pitt and acknowledged the pressure they put on quarterback Kedon Slovis.
Stills led these efforts, and his coaches noticed; Brown said Thursday night was Stills’ peak performance.
“It was the best football game he’s played in his career,” Brown said. “He was mentally in the game.”
Defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley also praised Stills:
“I thought he played hard,” Lesley said. “Overall, he had a complete game.”
Heading into this weekend’s home opener against Kansas, Lesley says his line is “ready to be challenged,” despite the Jayhawks falling to the bottom of the Big 12 last year. The defensive coordinator says he thinks Kansas is going to be “one of the most improved teams in college football” this season.
Defensive lineman Jordan Jefferson is ready for the challenge and says that if his team plays the same way it did against Pitt, “they’ll be fine.”
Jefferson started at nose tackle against Pitt, and despite the loss, is proud of his lineman.
“We fought hard, and we didn’t give up at all,” Jefferson said. “That’s what I love about this team.”
With a few minor tweaks to the defensive gameplan, Jefferson is ready for the Mountaineers’ first conference game of the year.
“Going into this game, we’re going to be hungrier,” Jefferson said. “That loss was tough, but at the same time we move on and correct our mistakes.”
With the versatility of the defensive line, Jefferson says the group “keeps offenses guessing.” With this mindset heading into week two, Jefferson is ready for a win at Milan Puskar Stadium.
