1. Limit the Pitt passing attack
It’s only fitting that the first key to a WVU victory is found in fixing something that has been an issue in the early going of this season. Below are the stat lines for the opposing quarterback in West Virginia's first two games of the season:
Drew Allar (Penn State) - 11/17, 216 yards, 3 touchdowns
Myles Burkett (Albany) - 18/39, 306 yards, 1 touchdown
That WVU gave up over 300 yards through the air to an FCS opponent was not lost on fans, and defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley said 'we’re not executing very, very simple things' in pass coverage. Meanwhile, Pitt’s freshman QB Eli Holstein has helped lead the Panthers to a 2-0 start. Below is a look at Holstein's stat lines for his first two games:
vs. Kent State - 30/40, 333 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception
@ Cincinnati - 20/35, 302 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception
Pitt was trailing Cincinnati 27-6 late in the 3rd quarter before storming back to win the game 28-27. Holstein engineered 3 long drives resulting in touchdown passes to help lead Pitt to the comeback win.
The expectation for this year’s Backyard Brawl is that it will not have many similarities to the game played a season ago where neither QB eclipsed 100+ yards.
With some concerns regarding the WVU secondary, the question is whether or not WVU can allow Holstein to go for 300+ yards and 3 touchdowns for his third straight game to start the 2024 season. Ideally, West Virginia’s defense shapes up and is able to get Holstein off of the rhythm he was on in the second half of the win against Cincinnati. While West Virginia is capable of scoring some points of their own, a major focus on defense is limiting Pitt’s passing game thuslimiting their scoring output.