Pitt's Pat Narduzzi says memories from '23 Brawl in Morgantown remain fresh in his mind

Pat Narduzzi raised his hand like he was taking an oath in a courtroom when he was asked Thursday if there will be extra hunger on the Pitt sideline in this year’s Backyard Brawl.

Pat Narduzzi says he hasn’t forgotten what happened in Morgantown last year … pic.twitter.com/hcoC8oUsdT

— Jerry DiPaola (@JDiPaola_Trib) September 12, 2024

After all, Pitt didn’t score a touchdown in an embarrassing 17-6 loss to West Virginia in Morgantown, W.Va., on Sept. 16, 2023. The Mountaineers won, despite collecting only 211 yards of total offense, but Pitt gifted them three interceptions.

In the past five Brawls, West Virginia has won four, including three before Narduzzi arrived. A second consecutive loss to the Panthers’ neighboring rival, however, will intensify the pain.

“I don’t speak for our players. I know I’m hungry,” he said. “I don’t forget, and our players, I don’t think, will forget, either.”

To that end, Narduzzi ordered all three days of practice this week held inside behind closed doors, despite some of the nicest weather of the summer. The outdoor Beano Cook fields were clean, green and dry.

“Extra careful, paranoid. You have people in the hills,” he said, pointing to the South Side slopes that overlook the practice fields shared by Pitt and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“They live in the hills. You got binoculars. Mountaineers, man, they’re up there in the mountains right there.

“Hey, take nothing for granted. We were inside.”

Taking such precautions doesn’t bother Narduzzi, and he — like WVU coach Neal Brown — wants the series to continue. The game will be played next year in Morgantown and take a hiatus from 2026-28 before another four-game series resumes in 2029.

“I believe that the game should be played all the time,” Narduzzi said. “This is why you coach football. This is why you play the game.”

He said he hopes the next series of games will be played either on or around Thanksgiving.

“We have tried to get it in November sometime,” he said. “We’d like it to be back to what it used to be back in the old days. I remember as a little kid up in Youngstown (Ohio) watching it on Thanksgiving.”

From 1995 through 2011, the game was played in mid-to-late November or early December in 16 of 17 seasons. It was played in November for five consecutive seasons from 1975 to 1979.

Narduzzi made a demand of the Pitt students who are seated (although many of them stand) in the Panther Pitt in the north end zone of Acrisure Stadium.

“I want our Panther Pitt to at least cause two unforced errors on offense for them,” he said. “I expect it to be rowdy. I expect them to be in it for 60 minutes until the end. I expect our football team to keep them there, engaged for 60.”

Of course, he’ll expect quiet when Pitt has the ball. “So we can communicate and get stuff done,” he said.

Controlling the West Virginia run game will keep Pitt fans interested and will be one of the keys to victory for the Panthers.

That task goes to outside linebacker Kyle Louis and his teammates on defense, but Narduzzi said the offense must do its part, too.

“To stop the run, you have to score points,” he said. “When you’re down, they can run the ball more. We were allowing (Cincinnati), by the scoreboard, to be able to call those plays. If you’re down by 14, you have to think otherwise.”

Narduzzi defended his run defense scheme after Cincinnati’s Corey Kiner rushed for 149 yards.

“Did you watch the tape? It’s execution. It’s not like, ‘Oh, man. They got us. That’s a great call. We had a crappy call in there.’ We have to execute better and make plays.”

Louis, a redshirt sophomore, is second on the team in tackles (14), and Narduzzi indicated he wants him on the field as frequently as possible.

“He’s a starter for a reason. He’s tough. He’s physical, and you can trust him that he is going to do everything exactly the way you want it,” Narduzzi said. “If he makes a mistake, he’s going to make it 110 mph. He’s reckless. I don’t want hesitators out there. Reckless is good, unless you’re rushing the punt. Don’t be reckless and hit the punter.”

Pitt fell behind 17-3 in the first half against Cincinnati, but Narduzzi doesn’t want players focusing just on starting fast in the event the first series is a three-and-out or turnover.

“Everything was good until we had a receiver run the wrong route (on Eli Holstein’s interception in the end zone). It wasn’t all Eli. He has to be smart, but it was a failure out there.”