Neal Brown on getting revenge in Backyard Brawl: We're a tougher football team in 2023

West Virginia head coach Neal Brown got a win on Saturday night, when he desperately needed to have it. And boy, did it come at the perfect time for the Mountaineer fan base, against their bitter rivals, the Pitt Panthers, in the 2023 version of the Backyard Brawl.

The Mountaineers used a dominant defensive effort and some scrappy play from their backup quarterback, Nicco Marchiol, to come away with a 17-6 win at home in Morgantown. It was the first home win for WVU in the rivalry in over 10 years.

Following the big win, WVU head coach Neal Brown spoke with Molly McGrath on the field about what the difference was between this year and last year for his team.

“Last year, WVU had a fourth-quarter lead on Pitt and they let it slip away. Why was it different his time around? “We’re a tougher football team. And that’s not a knock on last year’s bunch. We’re just further along in the process. And what a night, you know,” Brown began. “Quarterback gets hurt second series. And we just found a way. And our defense, which is much maligned in the last year and a half or so, really stood up. We got takeaways. And we were able to run the football. And we were really good up front and we showed it tonight.”

How did the West Virginia offense respond with toughness in the running game once Garrett Greene went down with his injury?

“Well, they knew what it was gonna be once he went down. Credit Nicco, he managed the game really well, made some key throws when he needed to. It’s hard for a backup. You don’t get the reps the starter gets. I thought he came in and did a really good job in a tough environment,” Brown said.

“You know, he’s got two wins. And he played most of the game, one on the road against Oklahoma State in a tough rain game. And then tonight, in the biggest rivalry for our football team and our program. So, much credit to him. He’s a tough kid. And good win. This is the best tradition, Molly, in college football, right here. It’s electric tonight. And Country Roads, no better ending.”

How sweet is the rivalry win for Neal Brown, the program, and the home fans?

“Well, we’re gonna take a step [back]. We’ve got a huge challenge next week. Texas Tech’s had our number. More importantly, it’s been since November 25th of 2011 since our fan base and this state experienced a win on the football field versus Pitt. We’re gonna enjoy this one tonight. They’ve already started enjoying it,” Brown said as “Country Roads” by John Denver blared in the Mountaineers’ stadium.