Braylan Lovelace had the ball in his hands and a lot of room to run.
It was a moment many defensive football players dream of and one that helped impact Pitt in a conference road upset last season.
The Leechburg graduate’s 100-yard interception return for a touchdown against No. 16 Georgia Tech helped lead to a much-needed 42-28 victory Nov. 22 to keep the Panthers’ ACC title hopes alive last season.
“Not everyone has an opportunity to do something like that,” Lovelace said. “I was in the right position, and I was grateful to be able to make a play like that to help my team. It still is an amazing moment to think about all these months later. That whole play is something I will remember for the rest of my life.”
Lovelace has a lot to remember from last fall. Over 13 starts, the senior linebacker broke out and led the Pitt defense with 80 tackles and collected 5.5 tackles for a loss, two interceptions and four pass breakups.
He earned ACC Linebacker of the Week honors for his pick-6 against Georgia Tech, and he went on to be named honorable mention All-ACC.
Fast forward to now, and Lovelace enters his final season with the Panthers front and center in the minds of many. Earlier this week, he earned a place on Phil Steele’s 2026 Preseason All-ACC Team as Pitt’s lone first-team selection.
It is the first of what is expected to be several preseason all-conference nods for the 6-foot-2, 225-pound defensive field general who often is seen making plays all over the field.
“It’s just about going and getting it now,” Lovelace said. “There is something more to chase. I am using it as more fuel to keep working. It adds to all the motivation I have and the team has towards this season and what we need to continue doing.”
As Lovelace continues summer workouts this week, he was able to take a moment and reflect on how quickly his time at Pitt has flown by from the start of his journey as an early graduate from Leechburg and a January 2023 enrollee. He jumped right into the mix that winter, ready to absorb as much information he could from the veteran players and Panthers coaches.
“It feels like just yesterday I was leaving high school early, and now I have one more year left,” he said. “But it’s been a blessing with how everything has worked, getting adjusted from single-A football in the WPIAL to playing major college football. It was a big step, but all of the coaches and players made it a lot easier.”
Now, Lovelace is the veteran, and he relishes every opportunity to continue giving back as a leader on this team.
“It feels good to be able to teach those kids who came in early like I did and continue to mentor some of the other younger players who continue to learn and step up,” Lovelace said. “I’ve been in their shoes, and I know what they are trying to chase. They have that same love for this program that I have. It’s fun to see them grow into the players that I know they can be.”
Lovelace said the linebacking crew, which must make up for the departure of impact players such as NFL rookie Kyle Louis, hopes to play an even more physical brand of football under new linebackers coach Joe Bowen.
“We are all just so hungry,” Lovelace said.
“We all want to go out there and make plays. Whether it’s playing the run or the pass, I want to make plays. We are all here to work and win games. Coach Bowen has come in and done some great things. He wants the best for every player. As soon as he stepped foot on campus, he treated us like his own kids. The way he teaches football and different moves and techniques, he is someone I can definitely learn so much more from and can help me take my game to the next level.”
Lovelace said spring practices and working more with Bowen helped him focus more on playing with a higher football IQ rather than just depending so much on his ability.
“It added more tools to the bag,” he said.
Bowen, who spent the past two seasons as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the University of Buffalo, said Lovelace showed a high degree of character and leadership.
“Braylan is a proven player, but he still has that drive, hunger and thirst to get better,” said Bowen, who also has coached at Miami (Ohio), Florida State, Michigan State, and South Carolina.
“I’ve be able to pick his brain on some things from the past that he’s been taught or that have worked well for him. He’s also been so receptive to tweaking things or adding things. My goal is that he has his best year yet.
“Braylan sets the tone as a leader by example in all that he does. He’s the first guy in the building and last guy to leave. It’s just way he takes care of his body through nutrition, the way he takes notes in meetings, the way he gets guys to do stuff on their own outside the allotted hours we have them. He’s always present and always dialed into the process. It makes for some meaningful, high-level conversations that produce results.”
In the era of the transfer portal, Lovelace said staying put has been an easy decision. Pitt has been home, and it still is home.
“I love the city. I love my team,” he said.
“I truly feel we are one of the closest teams in college football. My teammates are all my brothers. This also was one of the schools that I’ve loved since I was a kid, and I want to do whatever I can to bring an ACC championship to the school and this city. That is the goal. The coaches, the players, the atmosphere, everything is here for me.”
While Lovelace’s focus is squarely on his final season at Pitt — the Panthers open at home Sept. 5 against Miami (Ohio) — he also knows he has an opportunity to improve his stock for a possible future in the NFL.
“One of our strength coaches said something the other day about living in the moment and being where your feet are, and I took that to heart,” Lovelace said.
“It is so easy to get lost in the future. Right now, we are in summer training, and I am focused on being the strongest, fastest, smartest and most mentally focused I can be. At the same time, guys like Kyle have laid out the work and the blueprint for me to make it possible to become that NFL-caliber player.”