PROVO — This spring, BYU is saddled with the task of replacing four starters in the defensive secondary.

The Cougars lost safeties Quinn Gooch and Corby Hodgkiss and cornerbacks Kayle Buchanan and Ben Criddle from last year's squad that ranked No. 10 in the country in scoring defense.

Not that BYU is devoid of experience in the secondary.

"There is some experience when you consider Kellen Fowler," Mendenhall said. "That's the starting point in terms of who's making the calls and who's the most secure and confident back there."

Fowler, a senior, received valuable playing experience at free safety in the final few games of the 2007 season. He became the starter when Gooch went down with a knee injury.

At the other safety spot, senior David Tafuna returns. Tafuna was set to be a starter a year ago before suffering a season-ending foot injury in fall camp.

Because Tafuna is getting limited playing time in the spring as he recovers from the injury, coaches are giving redshirt freshman Jordan Pendleton plenty of action in the spring.

"Jordan Pendleton is getting a ton of work, which is great because he's having a fantastic off-season," Mendenhall said. "He'll have a great chance to develop and compete in the fall."

At the field cornerback position, junior Brandon Howard received considerable playing time as a backup last season. Redshirt freshman G Pittman is behind Howard on the depth chart.

"We like their athleticism, their confidence and their speed," Mendenhall said of Howard and Pittman. "Seasoning is what they need. We'll focus on that position this spring."

At the boundary corner, junior Scott Johnson and sophomore Brandon Bradley are battling.

"We think we have the right candidates for each spot, now it's about competition and getting them experience," Mendenhall said. "There's a lot of learning and plenty of mistakes. But that's where most of the teaching is coming in."

WILL POWER: The two most memorable plays from last season were quarterback Max Hall's fourth-and-18, 49-yard completion to Austin Collie late in the fourth quarter that fueled the Cougars' 17-10 victory over Utah; and Eathyn Manumaleuna's block of a UCLA field goal attempt with no time remaining, preserving a 17-16 triumph in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Mendenhall is referring to those moments as a way to remind his players of the importance of working hard during the off-season.

"Coach Mendenhall talks about those plays and he says that comes down to will, it comes down to how bad you want it and if you're going to give more effort than the other team," Hall said. "When you're working hard like that, and you're putting in the effort, good things will happen to you. That's just what we've got to do. Again, it's not focusing on the big things, but the little things and working hard every day."

QUOTABLE: "I really like Luke. There are different kinds of missionaries when they come home in terms of physical readiness. His body has come back faster than many, not quite like (running back) Fui (Vakapuna) when he came back, but the next closest to that. He's doing a really nice job." — Mendenhall on sophomore wide receiver Luke Ashworth.

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