Notebook: Brown prefers Backyard Brawl on annual basis, but not multiple regional rivalries – WV MetroNews

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — For the fourth time in Neal Brown’s five seasons as West Virginia head coach, the Mountaineers will face two Power 5 Conference opponents in non-league play.

A year ago, West Virginia opened at Pittsburgh. This time around, the Mountaineers’ first game is at seventh-ranked Penn State. Two weeks later, WVU plays host to the Panthers in the second of four straight Backyard Brawls through 2025.

It’s the third straight season WVU is opening with a Power 5 opponent on the road, and the Mountaineers fell short in the previous instances against Maryland and Pitt.

WVU bounced back to beat Virginia Tech both seasons, though the Hokies are not on the schedule again for the foreseeable future.

“Those regional rivalries are important,” Brown said. “The Pitt game, I think should be played every year. I’ve said that all along. It’s one of the best rivalries in all of college football, so we should play that every year. It makes it hard to play those other regional games.”

Because West Virginia annually plays nine Big 12 games, facing two non-conference opponents from Power 5 leagues gives the Mountaineers 11 on their schedule and leaves them as one of very few teams with that distinction annually.

“I’ve spoken on what’s the best for the program and not necessarily what’s best for me,” Brown said. “What’s best for the program is you play that Pitt game, a [Group of 5 team] at home and a FCS at home, then nine league games, which should give you seven home games every year. That’s the best opportunity for success and the best for our fan base to have a seventh home game every year. It allows you the opportunity to really build some momentum early in the year. 

“I’m all in on the Backyard Brawl. Those other regional rivalries, it’s hard to play both. That doesn’t mean that Virginia Tech … those two games were awesome. It was a great home environment here and great going down there. The Penn State game, we’re meeting it head on and excited about it, but I don’t think it’s in the best interest to play both those games in the same calendar year.”

West Virginia is 7-3 in non-league regular season games under Brown and has split its six against Power 5 foes. The Mountaineers have not played a non-Power 5 FBS program, while defeating all four FCS opponents under his watch.

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Brown remains mum as to when he’ll name Garrett Greene or Nicco Marchiol the Mountaineers’ starting quarterback ahead of the matchup with the Nittany Lions.

“I know you all don’t like that,” Brown says. ”But they’re each getting reps.”

Friday marks the team’s eighth of 15 preseason practices from August 2-21. 

At the halfway point, Brown offered observations of both.

“Nicco is making growth as a redshirt freshman,” Brown said. “[Tuesday], about halfway through practice was probably as poor decision-making as he’s made. He was able to correct it, which is a sign of mental toughness. He made some bad decisions and then four out of his next six plays were explosive plays. To see him take a chewing and be able to bounce back and answer, I was really encouraged with that. 

“We did a lot of red zone work [Wednesday] and it was a little bit of ebb and flow with him, but he made two really big-time plays. We have to clean up some of those decisions, but encouraged with how he handled adversity, because as coaches you try to create that. That kind of happened naturally [Tuesday], but you try to create it.

“Garrett had a couple big runs in a team period. We’re not tackling those guys, but he had a couple big runs. He made a tight throw in the red zone. We’re continuing to rotate those guys.”

Greene, a junior, enters his fourth season at WVU. He started the team’s final two games of 2022 and was instrumental in the Mountaineers winning the one before that. Greene hit on 43-of-78 passes for 493 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions during his most extensive action in college last year, while rushing for 276 yards and an additional five scores. Greene has 622 rushing yards and nine TDs on the ground at WVU.

The left-handed Marchiol took over for Greene following an injury in the season finale at Oklahoma State. As a true freshman, Marchiol completed 4-of-13 passes for 61 yards and one touchdown.

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West Virginia is sure to have a new placekicker and primary kickoff specialist in 2023.

Both responsibilities could fall to Michael Hayes or Danny King, or they could split the duties.

The Mountaineers also appear on track to having different kickoff returners, an area Brown has noted the need for improvement from his team.

“Danny and Michael both are probably kicking off better — and this is not a knock to anybody that’s been here — but more consistently hang time and distance than anytime over the last four years,” Brown said. “Kickoff return, we hit a couple. I need to watch them on film. Ja’Shaun Poke and Beanie Bishop are probably the leaders and it’s going to be a competition. We’re going to do something a little different where we do some full tackle kickoff versus kickoff return to really see and give those guys a chance to show who can win the job.”