Ash's underdog path has prepared him for a bigger role in offense

MORGANTOWN - On third-and-6, West Virginia quarterback Nicco Marchiol dropped back and had immediate pressure in his face.

He scrambled and threw a high-arching ball to the near sideline, and sophomore running back Clay Ash came down with the ball, picking up the chains, setting up for three of 10 points scored in the comeback in the Backyard Brawl.

On the game-tying touchdown drive, Ash caught another pass out of the backfield, making a third and long into a third and manageable. The next play, Marchiol hit tight end Grayson Barnes for 34 yards over the middle of the field.

On the final two drives of regulation, Ash rushed five out of seven times for positive yards and had two catches.

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi compared Ash to former Arizona State do-it-all and current New York Gia