Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Press ReleasePROVO, Utah (Dec. 17, 2009) - Senior tight end Dennis Pitta has been named to the 2009 Consensus All-America team. The team will appear in the 2010 NCAA Football Records.
Pitta earned first-team All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association and the Walter Camp Foundation, while picking up second-team honors from the Associated Press. The Sporting News named Pitta to its All-America Third Team.
"It's a phenomenal accomplishment," said BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall. "It's not easy to become a consensus All-American as the top player in the country at your position. Dennis is extremely deserving."
The first-team All-MWC tight end becomes BYU's 13th consensus All-American and first since running back Luke Staley in 2001. BYU's first consensus All-American was quarterback Marc Wilson in 1979. Since then the Cougars have produced consensus All-Americans in offensive lineman Nick Eyre (1980), quarterback Jim McMahon (1981), tight end Gordon Hudson (1982, 1983), quarterback Steve Young (1983), defensive lineman Jason Buck (1986), offensive lineman Mohammed Elewonibi (1989), tight end Chris Smith (1990) and quarterback Ty Detmer (1990, 1991).
A finalist for the John Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end, Pitta leads all tight ends this year in total receiving yards (784) and receiving yards per game (65.33) while ranking second in receptions yards per game (4.75). This season Pitta became BYU's all-time leader in total receptions overall and career record holder among tight ends in receiving yards and receptions. He is also the NCAA career leader in tight end receiving yards. He has helped BYU earn a 10-2 record and No. 14 ranking in the BCS Standings.
The players listed as consensus All-Americans had the highest number of points competing against players at that position only. A points system was used for the selections of the All-America team (three points for first team, two points for second team and one point for third team).
Twelve players were unanimous choices by the five organizations used in the consensus chart — AFCA (First Team), AP (First, Second and Third Teams), Football Writers Association of America (First Team), The Sporting News (First, Second and Third Teams) and Walter Camp Foundation (First and Second Teams).
Each of the five teams has a different way of listing the returner or all-purpose player. For the purpose of the Consensus All-America team those categories were treated as one position.
(Courtesy BYU Athletic Department)
