Park Crossing High School in Alabama had a strong season back in 2016. The Thunderbirds went 13-1 and advanced the whole way to the Alabama Class-6A state semifinals. Offensively, Park Crossing was led by quarterback Micale Cunningham, as he threw for 30 touchdowns and rushed for 19. On defense, linebacker Cam Bright led his team in tackles and posted 16.5 sacks.

Cunningham was a four-star recruit and went on to sign with Louisville, while Bright, a three-star, made his way to Pittsburgh. Later today, those two will get to meet up for the first time as opponents.

“I played with Cunningham in high school, so I know his game a lot,” Bright said of the Louisville quarterback. “So I know how to approach it and what his positives are and negatives are. But as far as our game approach I feel like we just got to contain him and keep him bottled up in the pocket and take away his first read.”

Cunningham leads the ACC in passing with 650 yards and six touchdowns on the season. He runs the show for one of the more electric offense in the country.

Bright has elevated his game as a junior in his first year as a full-time starter. He is the reigning ACC Linebacker of the week after posting 10 tackles, including 2.5 stops for a loss and a forced fumble in a 21-10 win over Syracuse a week ago.

Bright is excited to face off against his former teammate. He noted the two remain in-touch and will workout with each other when both are home in Alabama. Bright called Cunningham their high school’s Lamar Jackson, and is ready to finally play against him in a live setting.

“It’s going to be fun,” he said about playing his friend. “This is the game that I was most looking forward to because in high school I couldn’t tackle him in practice of course because he was our QB1, so when I get to hit him and I don’t get in trouble for it. It’s going to be fun.”

The entire Louisville offense is one Pitt will have to account for, as the Cardinals have speed and weapons up and down the lineup. Conversely, the Panthers feel confident in their own defense as it has been one of the best in the country through two weeks this season.

Bright credits that to the comfort level with all three levels of the defense.

“We compliment each other well because we know how to plan in-sync with each other,” he said of the connection on the Pitt defense. “We know where to fit, we know how somebody else is going to fit and things like that.”

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi is encouraged with Bright’s play this season. It is his fourth year in the program and after sharing linebacker duties the past few season, Bright is emerging nicely as a starter.

“I mean he’s a good athlete and I think that’s what makes him good and he knows what he’s doing,” Narduzzi said of Bright. “Like most of our players that are able to start, they better know what they’re doing. So he understands the defense and he’s done it for a while.”