BIG EAST FOOTBALL Backyard Brawl could define season for Pitt

Coach Walt Harris closed practices in preparation for West Virginia.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- 11-15-03.
The date has been displayed prominently on a large sign in No. 16 Pittsburgh's weight room since before preseason camp started.
It's not a reference to a game against a high-profile national opponent such as Virginia Tech or Miami, but that against rival West Virginia.
Following decades in which the Backyard Brawl meant a lot more to the team south of the Pennsylvania-West Virginia border than it did to the team north of it, Pittsburgh now realizes how big this game could be.
"Coach [Walt Harris] wanted to reinforce what the game means to us," Pitt cornerback William "Tutu" Ferguson said Monday.
What's at stake
Maybe big enough to decide the Big East title. Maybe big enough to send Pittsburgh (7-2, 4-0 in Big East) to a major bowl game for the first time since 1983. Maybe -- and just maybe -- the biggest game on Pittsburgh's schedule, despite West Virginia's 5-4 record.
"They are our biggest rival," Harris said. "It's an exciting game for both universities to play in the Backyard Brawl. I have some vivid memories of some all-time highs and some all-time lows. Last year, it was one of the all-time lows.
"It's a significant game to the success of our season and last year we didn't get the job done. That's why we want to remind our players of the importance of the game."
A year ago, the Panthers had already upset then-No. 3 Virginia Tech and were coming off a near-miss upset of then-No. 1 Miami when they committed four turnovers in a 21-17 upset loss to West Virginia at Heinz Field.
The game was yet another disappointment to Harris in a series that has provided some of the worst losses, both artistically and numerically, in his seven seasons at Pitt.
After upsetting the Mountaineers 41-38 at Morgantown in triple overtime in 1997, the Panthers lost 52-14 in 1998 and 52-21 in 1999 with Pittsburgh native Marc Bulger at quarterback for West Virginia.
"They beat us 52-to-something at [Three Rivers Stadium in 1998] and they were throwing at the end of the game. Good old Don Nehlen!," Harris said, referring to the now-retired West Virginia coach.
Rebounded
Pitt rebounded to win 38-28 at Three Rivers in 2000 and 23-17 over a three-win West Virginia team in 2001.
And if the weight room sign didn't symbolize what the game means to Pittsburgh, maybe this does: Harris is closing practice to the media and other outsiders for the entire week, something he said he's never done before.
"Our guys seem to focus better when there are not a lot of distractions," Harris said. "We tried to reduce the number of distractions to help keep our eye on our goals."