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Provo • No fewer than six quarterbacks threw passes on a cold and snowy Monday morning as BYU started spring practices at the Indoor Practice Facility on campus.

But make no mistake about it: This year's Ty Detmer-designed offense clearly belongs to No. 12, 6-foot-3 junior Tanner Mangum.

"It helps with your confidence, just knowing that you are going to get the majority of the reps," Mangum said, contrasting it to last year when he entered spring ball in a quarterback battle with Taysom Hill that the senior eventually won. "So it feels good to come out here and get started. Here we are on Feb. 27 and we know we have a long time to get better before the season starts."

Mangum looks a bit different than he did less than two months ago when he led the Cougars to a 24-21 Poinsettia Bowl win over Wyoming on Dec. 21 after Hill suffered a season-ending elbow injury in the finale against Utah State.

He's bigger and stronger, for starters.

"Yeah, I am up to 225 [pounds] and feeling good," he said. "Been working hard in the weight room. That's kind of what winter conditioning is for, to get bigger and stronger."

The five other QBs in the green shirts — which means they are off-limits to contact from the Navy blue-clad defensive players in camp — were redshirt sophomores Beau Hoge and Koy Detmer Jr., freshman returned missionary Kody Wilstead, senior Young Tanner and freshman Jeremiah Evans, a Pleasant Grove High product.

Ty Detmer, Koy's uncle, said Mangum will get the majority of the reps, as expected, but the second-year offensive coordinator will use the next month to get Hoge, Detmer and Wilstead up to speed as much as possible.

"We really have guys competing hard for that backup spot and want to see a little bit from everyone," Ty Detmer said, acknowledging every position "will always be open" but that Mangum is the clear-cut starter after starting 12 games and playing in all 13 in 2015.

Detmer and Mangum met several times in the past two months to talk about reading coverages and draw up plays and formations. Detmer's first impressions Monday were that the whiteboard sessions helped a lot.

"He was under control. He saw things," Detmer said of Mangum. "This time last year, he had no idea where guys were lining up. So [he had] much greater control of the offense, lining guys up, communicating real clearly, and then the throws and all that. He is always going to make the throws. So we were happy with the first day. Now it is move forward and continue to add a little bit as we go."

BYU coach Kalani Sitake said having an experienced quarterback such as Mangum back is "huge" for the development of the offense.

"Having that time to sit and watch and be like a coach has been really helpful for him," Sitake said. "I was really pleased with the way Tanner threw the ball and the way he executed the offense and the adjustments he made. For Day One, it was amazing."

Mangum threw only 15 passes in the rain-soaked Poinsettia Bowl, completing eight for 96 yards and a touchdown with one interception. But that gave him a good idea how Detmer's offense works, and what he needed to do in January and February to improve.

"Just having more experience with it, we are feeling more comfortable, more confident with it," he said. "Especially me personally, I feel better.

"And it helps having the whole quarterback crew, Beau and Koy and the other guys that are here," he continued "We help each other out, watch film together from last year's games, see what we could have done better, see what we did well and go off that."

The offense looked a bit different, too, with junior Moroni Laulu-Pututau (6-4, 225) having moved from receiver to tight end and defenders Matt Hadley and Kavika Fonua getting reps at running back. Sophomore Akile Davis and senior Grant Jones have also moved from defensive back to receiver. Detmer said sophomore receiver Aleva Hifo is out with an injury.

Sitake said defensive ends Sione Takitaki and Tomasi Laulile are not on the current roster but could rejoin the program when spring semester begins in April.

drew@sltrib.com Twitter: @drewjay —

BYU spring update

• Cornerback Dayan Lake will go by the name Dayan Ghanwoloku now.

• Safety Matt Hadley and linebacker Kavika Fonua are getting reps in camp at running back on a trial basis.

• Defensive ends Sione Takitaki and Tomasi Laulile are not on the spring roster but could join the team when spring semester begins in April.