Provo » With 2008 starter Brandon Howard leaving the program just prior to his senior season for personal reasons, the BYU Cougars started fall camp with a glaring hole in their secondary at the position they call field corner.

After just two days of practices, they may have found their man.

Robbie Buckner , a returned missionary from Ashdown, Ark., who redshirted in 2006, has received the bulk of the reps at the spot with the first-team defense in 11-on-11 drills and has already impressed the coaches with his playmaking ability.

"He is just a really hard worker," coach Bronco Mendenhall said after Monday's practice. "He is kind of outplaying his competition after two days. And two days is still infancy. But he really earned the players' respect this summer and so I don't think he intends to give up the spot."

Buckner was supposed to split time Saturday with Garett Nicholson , the starter after spring camp. But Nicholson banged his head on a bar while doing backpedaling drills early in the workout, and Buckner got all the reps.

Nicholson was fine Monday, but had seemingly fallen down the depth chart.

The other players competing for the open field corner position are junior college transfers Lee Aguirre , Brian Logan and Corby Eason .

"The good news is we have probably more corners than we have had since I have been the coach in terms of competition. Eventually, that will play out once the junior college players learn what to do," Mendenhall said.

There is also the possibility that one of the juco transfers could be used to back up Brandon Bradley at the boundary corner position.

O-line answers

After two practices, it's starting to become clear who the leaders are to earn starting spots on BYU's inexperienced offensive line.

The only returning starter, Matt Reynolds, is entrenched at left tackle. Junior Jason Speredon (left guard), senior R.J. Willing (center), sophomore Terrence Brown (left guard) and junior Nick Alletto (right tackle) have been the first-stringers so far.

The most heated battle will likely be at right tackle, where freshman Braden Hansen could push Alletto for the spot. Juco transfer Jesse Taufi could also contend for a starting spot at a variety of positions, assuming he gets his academics in order. He has yet to practice.

"The best way I can describe them right now is capable," Mendenhall said. "They are not experienced, they are not seasoned, but they have been in our program, and they could be a very good front. How long it will take them to play together, on game day, making the adjustments necessary? I will know better at fall camp than I know right now."

Briefly

Two days after nose tackle Rick Wolfley announced he was leaving the program, offensive lineman Stetson Tenney decided to call it quits. Tenney was a walk-on from Show Low, Ariz. ... Linebacker Terrance Hooks injured his hamstring and sat out most of Monday's practice. Mendenhall said Hooks will be fine. ... BYU coaches confirmed that offensive coordinator Robert Anae will call plays from the press box this season. He will switch places with quarterbacks coach Brandon Doman , who will now be on the field during games.

drew@sltrib.com