UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 12, 2026

Braylan Lovelace

Press Conference

Pitt - 12, UCF - 7

Q. Have you seen a storm like that before?

BRAYLAN LOVELACE: Maybe in little league a couple times, but never like that.

Q. The defense's effort to hold on, you guys get a late score there, but you guys were able to finish strong after what was a pretty strong day.

BRAYLAN LOVELACE: You know, that's what we trained for. That's the things that we do. And the leaders of the defense, we looked at all the young guys, just every guy on the defense said, yeah, it happened, but we've got to -- if we want to win this game, this is what we have to do.

We lived for those moments for the game to be on us. That's just what we do as a Pitt defense. We want the game to be on us at all times.

Q. You got to the quarterback quite a bit tonight. He's a slippery guy. Escaped (inaudible). How well do you think you played against Barnett, especially trying to take away his legs?

BRAYLAN LOVELACE: I think we did pretty well. I think he got his too. He got out on us a couple times for some big scrambles, and even some little ones. But I think we did pretty well.

Q. Walk us through this play that resulted in the safety, the sack in the end zone?

BRAYLAN LOVELACE: I had a little read on the run. And I just kept going and ended up sacking the quarterback.

Q. Braylan, back-to-back performances where the rush defense gives up less than 30 yards on the ground. Your thoughts on the key to that success?

BRAYLAN LOVELACE: That's Pitt defense. That's what we pride ourselves in is stopping the run. If they want to come running to the ball that's what we're ready to do, go stop the run and take that away.

Q. Braylan, what's it say about this team, offense puts up over 600 yards and Mason throws for seven touchdowns in week one; this week it's more the defense's opportunity to shine?

BRAYLAN LOVELACE: That's just complete team defense, just complete team play actually. Coach Narduzzi calls it "wefense." If the offense isn't doing what they gotta do, we'll step up and take on for for what they've gotta do. And it's vice versa. Things like that.

Last week, they put up their numbers. We put up a little bit of numbers. This week, we put up our numbers. They put up a little bit of numbers. That's what we do. We're going to keep going off each other.

Q. On that last drive, they go out and you need a stop to kind of seal the win. What you were you thinking? How important was that stop?

BRAYLAN LOVELACE: Just a regular thing for us. That's something we prepare for all year-round. That pressure, it's just a regular drive for us. Go put the ball down.

Q. What's your reaction to seeing DeMarco and Jeremiah get the sack? I know you've been around them watching them a bit.

BRAYLAN LOVELACE: I was cheering for them. To go see for them make that play, see the reactions, things like that, I was hyped. I was ready to celebrate with them.

Q. What were the adjustments you guys needed (inaudible) to contain what Barnett was able to do with his legs? He was getting up, creating plays on his own?

BRAYLAN LOVELACE: Just getting the rush there more. Just trying to push the pocket a little bit more, contain him a little bit better, and then if the he does start to scramble, get off the block and go fold in.

Q. I saw Alex got the sack there, hit him with the shark. Do all the linebackers just have that ready to go?

BRAYLAN LOVELACE: Yeah, everybody in that linebacker room is a shark. That's what we do. Blood in the water, we'll go hunt. You seen it out there, they want to run the ball, the sharks will come hunt, that's what we do.