BYU football: Pitta healthy, primed for big season

HENDERSON, Nev. — Dennis Pitta is as healthy as ever since getting his knee clobbered by a helmet in a win at Air Force last year.

At 6-foot-5 and 248 pounds, Pitta joins Harvey Unga and Player of the Year Max Hall on the preseason All-Mountain West Conference team announced Tuesday at the league's annual football meetings being held at the Green Valley Ranch Resort. Many folks at the MWC meetings are still wondering how Cougar offensive tackle Matt Reynolds got left off the honors list.

Pitta caught 83 passes for 1,083 yards in 2008. Those numbers were among the best in the nation. Pitta expects his senior season will cap a solid BYU career this fall. Bigger, stronger and a little faster, Pitta has received the help of former NFL all-pro tight end Chad Lewis this summer.

"He's been awesome, a great resource," Pitta said of Lewis, who has shown up during the summer while players are doing off-season conditioning under the supervision of conditioning coach Jay Omer.

"He's been showing us the ropes, things we need to do, what to look for and what to do to take it to the next level. It's been nice to pick his brain and he's been a tremendous help to me personally as well as the other tight ends."

Pitta envisions a Cougar offense led by a veteran passer, an edge he believes cannot be discounted. With veteran tight end Andrew George back, plus speedster McKay Jacobson, Luke Ashworth and O'Neil Chambers in the rotation, Pitta believes the Cougars will be more than capable of spreading the ball around in the post-Austin Collie era.

"I'm healthy. I feel good. I've been working hard this offseason," said Pitta, who has taken up golf as a serious hobby since his brother-in-law Max Hall is very indulged in the game. He just bought a set of Taylormade irons and a Cleveland driver — just like Hall's.

"Max pushed me into it. I play, but I don't hit it that well. It's probably one of the most frustrating things I've done in some time," said Pitta.

Football, however is different. He and Hall are on the same page.

"I'm excited about going into my senior season and feel good about where I'm at. Workouts have been good. Everyone is refocused. Everyone had a bad taste in their mouths after last season. We want to go out and do something about it."

BYU's offense will remain execution-based, but Pitta said the Cougars have thrown in some twists to keep defensives off-balanced.

"I like where our team is at right now. We're playing loose, not putting as much pressure on ourselves. We still have high expectations and are excited about the opportunities we have this season. We play some very good football teams early. I like where we're at."

e-mail: dharmon@desnews.com