Here’s a little pep fodder for your step this morning: This won’t be the last Backyard Brawl. Not if everyone involved has their way. Soon. They play for the 104th time Friday. Where and when they play No. 105 — could be next November in Heinz Field in a Big East Conference game, could be the season-opener in 2015, could be  Thanksgiving 2013 at Consol Energy Park — no one knows.

What we do know is WVU and Pitt are already talking and working to get this thing back on track.

“I can tell you that (Pitt Athletic Director) Steve Pederson and I have spoken about it more than once,” West Virginia AD Oliver Luck told me Friday, “and I think our views on it are very similar – which is to say pretty much identical.

“We both have a strong desire to maintain the rivalry. Now, we know we face questions about the next couple, three years, but it’s safe to say we both want to continue playing each other as soon as we can.”

Given the way matters like this are put on the back burner as parties involved deal with larger issues — and there are larger issues for both parties involved here — at least you have an assurance this is somewhere on the forefront. At least you know it’s not going to be overlooked and won’t be compromised because it got lost in the shuffle.