BYU football: Deep, talented at tight end position

PROVO — The last time BYU football fans saw Dennis Pitta in action, he wasn't quite full strength.

When they see him on the field again in 18 days, however, the senior Biletnikoff Award candidate expects to be better and healthier than ever.

"I feel good right now. I'm 100 percent and I'm excited and ready for the season," Pitta said Monday after practice.

Last season, the two-time first-team All-Mountain West Conference tight end from California suffered a sprained MCL after taking a helmet to the knee in the Air Force game, which rendered him ineffective in the Utah game and required him to play with a brace in the Las Vegas Bowl. Prior to the injury, however, Pitta was one of the nation's best, and still finished the year with 83 receptions and 1,083 receiving yards.

Amazingly, he did that despite facing double-team defensive schemes most of the season. Considering opponents gave Pitta that kind of attention when the Cougars had dangerous wide-out Austin Collie on the field, imagine what they'll do without Collie to also deal with this season.

"We saw a lot of double coverage inside last year and I don't expect anything different this season," Pitta said.

Having fellow senior Andrew George back and the addition of redshirt freshman Braden Brown should help, however.

"We've got a lot of weapons out there to use and it's going to put a lot of strain on defenses and make them have to be accountable to our other guys. It's really going to help us spread the field and do a lot of things offensively," Pitta said.

George, a 6-foot-5 senior from Colorado who would be the main guy for many teams, is also healthy and optimistic about the coming season. Even in a back-up role last year he had 23 catches, and the same number to TD receptions as Pitta — six. He's had outstanding spring and fall camps. At Saturday's scrimmage he caught five passes for 90 yards, and in Monday's 11-on-11 sessions he had two catches for 47 yards and one TD.

"I'm a guy that is going to know what he's doing on every play. Teammates are going to know what they're going to get from me, and if anything happens to Dennis I'm a guy that can fill in and we're not going to miss a beat," George said. "So really, I feel like I'm an execution guy that can get everything done."

Brown, a 6-foot-6 Highland High product, is being groomed for a bigger role by Pitta and George, but will be used mostly this season in running situations. He might even play some fullback. In practice Monday, however, he did have an 8-yard TD reception.

"Right now my job is mainly to block for Harvey (Unga) and the other running backs, but I'm fine with that. I like to hit people," Brown said.