The West Virginia Mountaineers claimed victory in the 108th edition of the Backyard Brawl when they completed a comeback win in overtime to secure a 31-24 win over their rivals, the Pitt Panthers. Let's take a look at the impact players from Week 3.
Offensive Impact Players: Rodney Gallagher III and Grayson Barnes
Many may question the choice to pick receiver Rodney Gallagher III and tight end Grayson Barnes over running back Tye Edwards, who had 25 carries for 141 rushing yards and added three rushing touchdowns on his night. Don’t get it twisted – Edwards was by far the best offensive player on the field for WVU in Week 3. But we've already written about his impact on the game. But for an Offensive Impact Player award, Gallagher III and Barnes were more in the background as far as a statistical standpoint but had a massive effect on the game's outcome.
Starting with Gallagher III, he finished with seven catches and 61 receiving yards. Starting the game with the longest catch he had on the night, quarterback Nicco Marchiol did not waste any time finding the versatile Gallagher III, connecting for a 20-yard reception on the first play for the WVU offense. But on the final two drives in regulation is where Gallagher shined, hauling in three of his seven receptions in the final minutes of play and making a big impact on the team's ability to move the ball downfield and tie the game.
There also seemed to be more of a focus on including the tight ends in the passing game on Saturday, and especially in the red zone. Barnes is a player who took full advantage of the increased role in the offense, recording five catches for 58 yards and hauling in game-tying touchdown catch to send the game to overtime. Between that massive play and another reception for 34 yards on the final WVU drive in regulation to set up his later score, Barnes was also crucial to the WVU win.
Defensive Standouts: Ben Cutter and Edward Vesterinen
Linebacker Ben Cutter is listed as backup to fellow linebacker Chase Wilson, but that did not stop Cutter from being on the field for a lot of snaps and making an impact as Wilson still struggles with an injury. Cutter was tied for first on the team in total tackles, eight, including three solo tackles. The Denver, North Carolina, native also added one tackle for loss in his outing against Pitt. Cutter was a part of the linebacker crew that flew around the field, making tackles in the backfield and at the line of scrimmage.
Lastly, Edward Vesterninen is a fifth-year senior from Helsinki, Finland. The European native recorded four total tackles, two sacks, and two tackles for loss during Saturday’s game. Vesterninen and the rest of the defensive linemen and linebackers were a big reason why WVU was able to win, constantly putting pressure on Pitt quarterback and former four-star recruit at Alabama Eli Holstein. Zac Alley’s led WVU defense registered six sacks against the former Alabama quarterback.