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Provo • BYU senior Michael Davis can grin about it now, but it was no laughing matter back on Nov. 23, 2013, in South Bend, Ind., when the receiver-turned-cornerback, just a freshman, found himself standing across the line of scrimmage from one of Notre Dame's many talented wide receivers.
"I was really nervous, and I didn't have any confidence," Davis said of that brutally cold afternoon three years ago when he was sent on the field because Mike Hague was hurt and Robertson Daniel was ill. "I was pretty scared."
Fast-forward to 2016. Davis is the most-experienced player in the BYU secondary, a three-year starter at cornerback who has put on nearly 15 pounds since spring camp and is being considered a possible NFL prospect.
"He's got a good chance, if he keeps improving," said BYU's new cornerbacks coach, former Cougar Jernaro Gilford.
So, the Cougars are set at right corner this season, barring injury. Left corner is a different story.
When BYU lines up against Arizona on Sept. 3, a freshman or sophomore with less college experience than Davis had in the eventual 23-13 loss to Notre Dame will line up across from one of the Wildcats' top receivers.
"It's not going to be easy for the young guy, whoever it is," Davis said, and he should know.
Which of the 11 other cornerbacks in BYU preseason training camp will get the nod?
"It is still up in the air," Gilford said. "There are five or six guys battling for that spot. I told them I want to see one of them stand out and kind of take the lead, take the spot. I want somebody to show me out here on the field that they really want that spot — physically as well as mentally."
The Cougars are in this predicament at left corner — coaches have scrapped the Mendenhall-era "boundary" and "field" corner monikers — because Micah Hannemann was moved to safety in the spring and Jordan Preator transferred to an FCS school, Portland State.
Coach Kalani Sitake said the leading candidates for the starting job are sophomores Akile Davis and Isaiah Armstrong, a transfer from Riverside (Calif.) College, and freshman Troy Warner. Freshman Chris Wilcox and former Northridge High star Dayan Lake — who was in the program last year but redshirted because he did not meet NCAA eligibility standards — are also in the picture.
Sophomore Michael Shelton got two starts at corner/nickel last year, but was not mentioned by Sitake as being in the mix to start.
"We will see which one emerges," Sitake said. "It is like they have good days and bad days. The most consistent guy will start the year."
Akile Davis and Armstrong have seen the most reps with the first-string defense in scrimmages, but Warner — younger brother of starting linebacker Fred Warner — is making big strides, having graduated high school early so he could participate in spring camp in March and April.
"Troy is a smart football player and knows where to put his body to not get beat," defensive coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki said of the four-star recruit from the San Diego area. "He is definitely pushing to get some playing time. We like the way he is coming along."
Other corners in camp include redshirt freshman Trevor Brent and junior walk-on Cody Stewart. Washington State transfer Kamel Greene and freshman Hiva Lee haven't been practicing due to injury.
Tuiaki said several corners will play, in addition to the starters, because BYU faces a lot of high-tempo offenses this fall.
"We have to have a reliable backup that is taking 20, 30 snaps from the starters," Tuiaki said.
They will also play more man-press coverage than corners at BYU have the past half-dozen years, Gilford said.
"We will try," he said. "That is our scheme, and that's what we do. The guys are taking it and running with it. All of them want to do it. It is the thing that we have been working on since spring. You will see more than you have seen over the last six or seven years, absolutely."
Twitter: @drewjay —
Top cornerbacks at BYU camp
Player Year Ht/Wt Previous school
Michael Davis Sr. 6-2/190 Glendale (Calif.) H.S.
Akile Davis So. 6-2/198 DeSoto (Texas) H.S.
Troy Warner Fr. 6-1/192 Mission Hills (Calif.) H.S.
Isaiah Armstrong So. 6-2/193 Riverside (Calif.) City Col.
Chris Wilcox Fr. 6-2/175 Roosevelt (Calif.) H.S.
Dayan Lake Fr. 5-11/200 Northridge (Utah) H.S.