Provo » For once this season, BYU's Dennis Pitta didn't encounter double and triple teams every time he ran a pass route.
And when you don't double and triple team Pitta, he has games like he did in Saturday's 38-21 win over Air Force at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
Pitta, time and again, ran uncovered over the middle and free through the Falcons secondary. And like clockwork, Max Hall found him repeatedly with precision passes through the defense.
"It's nice from a personal standpoint to have a great game," Pitta said. "It's nice to get the win as well. We always seem to do well against Air Force over the middle. It's nice to have a game where the defense wasn't paying so much attention to me."
Pitta was brilliant, catching nine passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns. It's the first time this season that the senior tight end, considered one of the best in the country, has amassed 100 yards receiving. His output led to numerous scores as the Cougars' passing offense decimated Air Force throughout the game.
It's a relief for Pitta because he had become frustrated to a point in recent weeks with his lack of productivity. On this day, however, Pitta looked like the Pitta from last season, when he was all but unstoppable.
Against Air Force, that talent was evident as he continually beat man and zone coverage, catching passes and consistently coming up with chunks of yards after the catch. Pitta's 8-yard touchdown and his 16-yard touchdown catch both fit the bill of gaining yardage after first contact. He also had what appeared to be a third touchdown catch, but that was wiped out because of a penalty.
"I thought we came out pretty aggressive," Pitta said.
» Pitta has a game-high nine catches for a game-high 111 yards.
» He scores two touchdowns and has another wiped out due to penalty.
» It's Pitta's first 100-yard receiving day of the season.
