Running back Noel Devine began the Backyard Brawl as the 15th-leading rusher in Division I-A, averaging only a half-yard per game less than Pitt's LeSean McCoy.

Forget about the ground he lost among the statistical leaders that day; it was the small amount of ground he gained across Heinz Field that bothered Mountaineers coach Bill Stewart.

"He's just got to run the football," Stewart said of Devine, a sophomore who had a season-low 17 yards -- 10 coming on one play -- on 12 carries.

"[The Pitt defenders] just stuffed the football. They worked very hard on the zone [runs]. I thought the line pass blocked very well but didn't block the run as well.

More than half of Devine's 1,138 yards came in the five games before the 19-15 loss to Pitt.

"We have to get the little guy on track," Stewart said of the 5-foot-8 tailback. "We just could not get him going. Could not get that thing going."