The Pittsburgh Panthers are off to a hot start, winning their first two games for the first time since 2021. But they have their toughest test of the year so far with West Virginia at home on Saturday. 

The highlight of this hot start was their 21-point comeback this past Saturday against Cincinnati in the “River City Rivalry.”

Most of the early success is due to new Offensive Coordinator Kade Bell. 

Coach Pat Narduzzi hired Bell in this offseason from FCS school Western Carolina and he has made an instant impact. The Panthers have had their first 500-yard offensive game since 2021. Bell brought with him star running back Desmond Reid, who leads the nation in all purpose yards for non-quarterbacks. 

Another big addition from the transfer portal is redshirt freshman quarterback Eli Holstein. Holstein has been a perfect fit for the new Pittsburgh offense. His arm and his ability to move around in the pocket complement this fast-paced spread offense. Holstein has been one of the best freshmen in the country, winning back-to-back ACC Rookie of the Week awards. 

This weekend, the Panthers take on the West Virginia Mountaineers in a rivalry game known as the “Backyard Brawl.” The rivalry picked back up in 2022 after an 11-year break, and Pitt has been 1-1 since 2022. But Pitt leads the all time series, 62-41-3.

Despite Reid being a new addition, he already knows what this rivalry is about. “They hate us. We hate them,” he said in a press conference. 

The Panthers hope to bounce back from last year’s 17-6 loss to the Mountaineers, where they got an awful offensive performance from former quarterback Phil Jurkovic, who threw three interceptions. 

Another plus for Pittsburgh is their leadership. Their four captains are sixth-year linebacker Brandon George, senior offensive lineman Branson Taylor, and senior pass catchers Gavin Bartholomew and Konata Mumpfield. These senior captains have already made an impact for the Panthers and hope to keep that going into the Backyard Brawl.