The Backyard Brawl is back, and the energy entering the matchup is familiar as always.
Regardless of what West Virginia and Pitt have done in the first two weeks of the season, the Backyard Brawl is bound to feel just about the same as it always has. The teams’ individual success has little bearing on one of the greatest rivalries in college football.
Entering this year’s contest, though, the Panthers do have a slightly different look from the team that visited Morgantown last season. Offensively, Pitt is now led by redshirt freshman Eli Holstein as opposed to Pittsburgh’s home-grown quarterback Phil Jurkovec, who is now looking to make a career in the NFL.
In Pittsburgh’s matchups against Kent State and Cincinnati, Holstein has carried a significant load, throwing 40 and 35 passes respectively. Holstein completed 30 of his attempts against Kent State for 336 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception en route to a 55-24 win. The Bearcats held Holstein off in terms of completing throws, but he still managed 302 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception in 20 completions.
Also unlike the 2023 Pittsburgh offense, Holstein found himself with a plethora of targets in his first two games. Pitt’s leader in catches last year, Konata Mumpfield, caught five receptions in each game, going for 56 yards and a touchdown against Kent and 123 yards and two touchdowns against Cincinnati, but he did not lead the team in catches in either.
Against Kent State, 6-foot-1, 200-pound sophomore Kenny Johnson led the Panthers with seven receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown, significantly outdoing his usual production of about one catch for 10 yards per game.
Perhaps the strongest offensive weapon available to Holstein, though, is running back Desmond Reid, who transferred to Pitt from Western Carolina in January. Reid rushed for 145 yards against Kent State and 148 yards against Cincinnati, but the junior is also a viable target in the passing game, leading the Panthers in catches against Cincinnati, with six catches for 106 yards and a touchdown.
With so many options available offensively, Pittsburgh will make West Virginia’s secondary work on Saturday. Pitt’s real test will be defensively, as the Panthers held Kent State in Week 1 to 212 total yards, which was less than WVU’s 246 against Penn State, but allowed 24 points and struggled against Cincinnati.
In terms of versatility in the offense, Pittsburgh and WVU are just about matched, with the Mountaineers only having an advantage in their number of rushing threats. With Pitt’s defensive identity not quite polished, though, WVU looks to be in the best position to make use of it.
West Virginia will travel to Pittsburgh for its first away game of the season on Saturday. The game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. at Acrisure Stadium and will be available for viewing on ESPN2.
Photo by Aaron Parker, Blue Gold Sports
