An important part of good coaching is knowing what buttons to push and when to push them, and recognizing how much adversity is the right amount to throw at players. The idea is to ensure they won’t be surprised on gameday.

Pitt linebackers coach Ryan Manalac likes when his players are angry — even if the anger is directed at him — and he knew just how to do it in the days leading up to the West Virginia game.

Senior middle linebacker SirVocea Dennis, the leader of the group and a team captain, laughed about it Wednesday after practice. Yet, what Manalac leading up to the Backyard Brawl was definitely irritating but motivating at the same time, Dennis said.

Which was Manalac’s ultimate goal.

“He was chirping a little bit,” Dennis said.

Manalac took West Virginia fans’ favorite phrase regarding Pitt’s players’ and fans’ dietary habits and repeated it all week to his players.

“He was saying that all meeting, all practice, and he was really trying to get us to, basically, be (mad) at him,” Dennis said. “He just makes sure that when the game comes or when any adversity happens, (we’re) ready. Why? Because he makes it for us every day.”

Dennis was motivated enough to record a sack and quarterback pressure against WVU, but Pitt’s run defense was out of sync, allowing C.J. Donaldson to rush for 125 yards on only seven carries. But it has improved, surrendering a total of 141 yards on the ground in the past two games against Tennessee and Western Michigan.

When Pitt (2-1) plays Rhode Island on Saturday at Acrisure Stadium, the No. 24 Panthers hope to rise up from having the ACC’s sixth-ranked run defense.

Meanwhile, Manalac may have the most difficult job on Pitt’s defensive coaching staff. He is tasked with bringing together a group that is anchored by veterans Dennis and Brandon George in the middle but includes transfers Shayne Simon and Tylar Wiltz and underclassmen Bangally Kamara and Solomon DeShields, who did not have extensive experience entering the season.

“Coach Manny, he’s getting on us on certain things and making sure we do things better,” Dennis said. “We’re growing as a group, and we’re growing as individuals.”

Dennis said Kamara has received an education on what it takes to play Power 5 football.

“Bangally, he understands game tempo now. He’s working his tail off,” Dennis said. “He understands how strong and physical and ready he needs to be.” Dennis said the biggest adjustment was playing in front of 70,000 people in the opener against WVU after practicing all summer while almost no one was watching.

Kamara’s improvement can be tied to his work ethic and Manalac’s insistence on having his players prepared and motivated.

It’s been said that Manalac is almost a clone of coach Pat Narduzzi, for whom he played at Cincinnati and coached under at Michigan State.

“They are too much alike,” Dennis said. “When you’re coached by Narduzzi, you take a lot of traits from him when you go into coaching. You see a lot of similarities. They’re good guys. They bring the energy. They bring the juice. They’re tough coaches. They love you up as well, but they’re definitely tough coaches.”

Dennis said Narduzzi also gets his players ready for the next level of their playing career, and for life after football.

“That’s what a head coach wants to do,” he said. “He wants to make sure we’re ready for life as men, not just football … be respectful, be yourself, clean up after yourself, just basically being grown men.”

When Dennis’ playing career is finished — he’s projected as a second-day NFL Draft choice — Dennis may want to coach.

He said he told Manalac, “Listen, when you get into coach Narduzzi’s position, make sure you hire me.”

“He said he’ll think about it.”

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