Pitt HC Pat Narduzzi Worried About Treatment of Visitors at Backyard Brawl

Pitt Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi worries that visiting fans won't be treated well at Milan Puskar Stadium.

PITTSBURGH -- There is no denying the animosity that exists between the Pitt Panthers and West Virginia Mountaineers is on par with all the great rivalries in college sports. The two schools, separated by just 75 miles, hate each other more than any other opponent they've ever played. 

But Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi is worried that when Panther fans make the trip down to Morgantown for the 106th installment of the Backyard Brawl, scheduled for Week 3 of the 2023 season, they will be greeted by a crowd of Mountaineers that is not very welcoming. 

“I don’t think we’ll travel as well down to Morgantown because of the smaller stadium size and the way they treat fans down there," Narduzzi said during an appearance on 93.7 The Fan this week.

He claims to have heard stories from older Pitt fans who have made the trip just south of the state line back when the series was an annual occurrence that gave him that impression. While he didn't give any specific details, he claims to have heard from fans who are unwilling to travel to Morgantown for a Backyard Brawl. 

"Obviously [Pitt fans] got the money to do it - but I wonder what that will be like," Narduzzi said. "From all the stories I’ve heard, there are a lot of Pitt fans who are like ‘I’m not going down to that place. I’d rather go to the zoo.’”

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