Tight battle: Mission returnee Pitta is pushing So'oto, George at key position

PROVO — With all the fog and smoke surrounding BYU's quarterback derby, the Cougars can count on at least one solid offensive position next fall: tight end.

In fact, if what has transpired in spring practice is any indication, the Cougars will have plenty of playmakers at the tight-end position in 2007 — even with the departure of all-conference star Jonny Harline.

The competition at the position is so good, BYU's tight-end coach wants it shrouded in fog and smoke also.

"The jury is still out," said offensive coordinator Robert Anae of his tight ends. "If it's applicable to put it like that. We'll continue to see these guys and how they do until fall before any decision (on playing time) is made. A big factor for me is to see how hungry they are and how they work through the summer."

Vic So'oto, who redshirted last season, and Dennis Pitta, just off a mission, each caught touchdown passes Friday, part of a four-TD passing performance by quarterback Max Hall, to highlight a brief situational scrimmage.

The most visible surprise at this position is an impressive return of Pitta, who came back from an LDS mission to the Dominican Republic last December and was on the sidelines at the Las Vegas Bowl. While the Cougars return Andrew George and So'oto, the performance of Pitta through three major scrimmages cannot be discounted — he has pushed the other two.

Pitta, a walk-on three years ago out of Moorpark High in California, is a high hurdler who ran a 4.5 forty in high school with 1,100 yards receiving. His only recruiting attention came from BYU, Utah and some Ivy League schools. NFL-bound QB John Beck is the one who pushed for Pitta to see some time in 2004 after working with him during the summer. Then-coach Gary Crowton thrust Pitta into key situations back in 2004, and he responded with 17 catches for 176 yards.

Like Harline, Pitta has soft hands. He is athletic, and at 6-foot-5 he presents mismatches with linebackers and safeties. He can do the Harline jump-ball catch and has enough speed to find daylight and force defenses to respect him as a target in Anae's offense.

"I'm still getting in shape. I'm close, but I'm not where I want to be yet," said Pitta. When he played as a freshman, he was 235, now he's 245. Before his mission his vertical jump was 35 compared to 33 now. He did run a 4.62 this winter and hopes to get it down to 4.5 again.

Pitta likes the Cougar offense he returned to after two years.