When LSU senior offensive guard Lyle Hitt lines up Saturday night in Tiger Stadium, he will be looking across the neutral zone into the familiar eyes of his brother Mason Hitt, junior defensive tackle for Louisiana Tech.The two are best friends off the field and are “as close as two brothers can be,” according to their mother, Beth Hitt.But when it comes to football, the brothers are too competitive and won’t hold anything back when they play each other Saturday.”I can’t let him win,” Lyle Hitt said, laughing. “It’s just one of those older brother things.”Mason Hitt said he and Lyle respect each other as competitors but aren’t above a little trash talking this weekend.”We’ll probably say a few things in between plays,” Mason Hitt said.Mason and Lyle met on the field as competitors once before, when LSU hosted Louisiana Tech on Nov. 17, 2007. LSU won the game, 58-10.Lyle Hitt said they only got to play about 15 snaps against each other in that game, but he expects more snaps together this weekend.Growing up, the brothers both attended Parkview Baptist in Baton Rouge, where they were defensive linemen together.Beth Hitt said Mason was Lyle’s backup in high school. As a sophomore, he replaced Lyle for three games when Lyle sprained his ankle during his senior season in 2004.”I actually got to step in for him for a couple of games,” Mason Hitt said. “I think going through all that stuff brought us closer and made us better players as well as individuals.”Lyle Hitt said it was weird to play against his brother in 2007 but hopes it won’t be as strange the second time around.”He was always on my team … growing up, so we never had to think twice about it,” Lyle Hitt said. “We were always there to back each other up. It’s weird looking across the field and seeing him on the sidelines.”Beth Hitt said it will be a nice change to have both sons in one place on Saturday. She and her husband Joe Hitt usually split the games if both sons are playing home games, with Beth staying in Baton Rouge and Joe going to Ruston.Last weekend in particular was busy for the Hitt parents, who attended three football games.On Thursday, Tucker Hitt, a junior at Parkview Baptist and Mason and Lyle’s younger brother, helped lead Parkview to a win against Redemptorist in Baton Rouge. Louisiana Tech lost Friday to Boise State in Ruston, and LSU was defeated by Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala. on Saturday.”That was the first time we’ve had three in a row like that, and they were all undefeated teams they were facing,” Beth Hitt said. “We came back one out of three. It was kind of a unique situation.”Beth Hitt said it would be easier if Lyle and Mason weren’t going to be on the field at the same time this weekend.”Whenever Mason’s in, Lyle’s always in.” Beth Hitt said. “It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out.”Beth Hitt said she thinks the weekend will be exciting because lots of family members are coming in and a tailgate is planned. She plans to wear a special T-shirt the family made in 2007 with the slogan, “When brothers meet on the gridiron, it’s a Hitt.””If I can’t wear one of those, I’ll just have to wear black and white I guess,” she said laughing. “You know, go neutral.”Beth Hitt said her sons share more than their passion for football.  Both men are strong Christians who are extremely loyal to one another.”They’re both real special,” Beth Hitt said. “They both do a lot of speaking to youth groups … and are active around their areas of interests and campus ministries.”Mason Hitt said the two brothers are a lot alike but do have their differences.”I’m a lot better looking than he is,” Mason Hitt said jokingly. “I’m a little more laid back. I kind of think for the minute; he thinks for the future.”Beth Hitt said Mason enjoys making people laugh and serves as the comic relief of the family.”He’s the one who will just drop something in the middle of the conversation that will make you stop and ask ‘Did he just say that?'” Beth Hitt said. “When you ask people about Mason, they’ll just smile first.”- – – -Contact Katherine Terrell at [email protected]