MORGANTOWN — West Virginia defensive coordinator Zac Alley told safety Darrian Lewis to watch Pitt’s motion down in the red zone. The Panthers, sure enough, motioned the receiver, and Lewis followed. Pitt quarterback Eli Holstein received the snap and fired behind the motion man, where Lewis was, and he intercepted the pass, taking the ball the other way. On the 1-yard line, Pitt came up empty.

Alley is a very emotional young coordinator. He can be seen on the sideline in his baby blue long-sleeve, yelling, moving onto the field, while a get-back coach races to prevent him from drawing a flag.

Alley only gets worked up when his players aren’t where they should be.

“He’s like a really, really smart guy,” Lewis said. “Like really smart. When it comes to things like that, he will put you in a good play. If you don’t make the play, he’s going to freak out because he put you in one of the best spots for that type of play.”

Alley’s defense put on another clinic for the third straight week. The Mountaineers’ defense might’ve let up some chunk plays down the field, but when it came to the red zone, the defense made sure Pitt came up empty, allowing for the offense to win the game.

“Keeping points off the board, anytime we keep points off the board, is huge,” Lewis said. “Being able to hold them, not just like the three, but hold them to zero. It was a big moment of the game. It was quick, it was early. It was a good play.”

Alley’s defense was tested a lot of times. With 2:47 left in the game, the defense forced Pitt to punt. The punt led to the game-tying touchdown drive for WVU. The defense’s job wasn’t done.

In Pitt’s overtime possession, Holstein dropped back and threw the ball to the flat, and right there was the safety Kekoura Tarnue, who just dropped an interception. But, again, Alley had his players right where they needed to be.

“Just for a quick second, where everybody’s heads are going, ‘whoa’ knowing the game could have been over just like that,” Lewis said.

The defense picked up Tarnue and went back to work.

“It was just like this defense and his team, they picked him back up so fast, because we knew that we told ourselves the whole game, we’re going to win this game on defense,” Lewis said. “He came, and we all gave him pats on the back like it’s coming right back. Do it again. Whether it’s not there, we always support each other no matter what happened.”

The next play, Alley’s defense swallowed Holstein, creating a fourth and 20. Holstein had no options and threw an incomplete pass, winning the Backyard Brawl for WVU.

“I give all the credit to coach Alley,” Lewis said. “He’s a really smart coach. He get you in great spots, and that’s everybody on the defense. He’s going to change up the picture, show something else. He’s going to blitz, sometimes, going to drop sometimes. We got a lot for you.”

In three weeks, Alley’s defense allowed an average of 14.6 points per game, ranking in the top 35 defenses in the FBS. If WVU’s defense keeps up this pace, as it enters Big 12 play next week, the defense should only move up in the ranks.

After the stops from the defense, the offense finally took advantage and won the game.

“Man, our defense played their tail off all game,” Rich Rodriguez said. “Kept us in the game.”