University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Talkin’ Pitt: Embracing the Brawl
9/10/2025 2:54:00 PM | Football
Straight from the podium: What Pitt’s players and coaches are saying ahead of this week’s ‘Brawl’ at West Virginia.
PITTSBURGH— The Backyard Brawl returns Saturday afternoon, and Pitt is preparing for one of college football's most hostile environments. As the Panthers get ready to travel to Milan Puskar Stadium, several players and coaches—including offensive coordinator Kade Bell, quarterback Eli Holstein, linebacker Braylan Lovelace, and center Lyndon Cooper—spoke this week about the intensity of the rivalry, the challenges of playing on the road, and why the team will be ready.
Bell: "The passion, the hatred—it felt like a deep south rivalry."
Kade Bell knows a heated atmosphere when he sees one—and last year's Backyard Brawl didn't disappoint.
"Last year was electric," Bell said. "The passion, the hatred—it felt like a deep south rivalry. That's what makes it special."
Bell said the staff has worked to simulate that intensity during practice this week.
"Everyone in this building wants to win this one more than any other," he said. "I've heard Morgantown is loud. We've practiced with crazy crowd noise. We'll be ready. We don't want to be in third-and-long in that environment."
Holstein: "Feed off the hate."
Eli Holstein isn't backing down from the Brawl atmosphere. In fact, he's embracing it.
"I'm really excited. I'm looking forward to feeding off that energy," Holstein said. "I think our team has that mindset to feed off that energy, feed off the hate and the pure venom and poison from them. Really looking forward to it and can't wait to do it."
Lovelace: "As a kid, you dream of playing in games like this."
Braylan Lovelace remembers how last year's matchup felt, and he's eager to experience it again on the road.
"It's a great environment to go play in," Lovelace said. "Environments like that—sold-out crowd, loud stadium—that's something that, as a kid, you dream of playing. It's something I'm very excited to experience."
He added: "I loved it as a freshman, hearing the stadium roar when a play happens and then it goes silent when we come back and make a play."
Cooper: "It might be louder than the actual game."
Lyndon Cooper said the Panthers have turned up the volume in practice this week—literally.
"Oh yeah. It's been loud," Cooper said. "It might be louder than the actual game. That's the point—so we're ready, so our operation is clean."
Pitt travels to West Virginia this Saturday, Sept. 13, for a matchup in the 108th edition of the Backyard Brawl. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on ESPN.
