BYU football: Kyle Van Noy taking it easy first few weeks of camp

Provo • After two practices at BYU preseason camp, All-American linebacker Kyle Van Noy has yet to make a tackle, shed a block or drop back into pass coverage.

But there's no need to worry, BYU fans. The senior who dominated December's Poinsettia Bowl before deciding to return for his final year at BYU says he is fine, despite coach Bronco Mendenhall's proclamation on Saturday that Van Noy has a "slight" hamstring tweak.

"I am not 'nursing it,' by the way," Van Noy said, making quotation marks with his hands. "I think I am fine. We are just taking precautions right now. I am healthy and [ready] to go. We just don't want to push anything. I am not injured at all."

Mendenhall said Van Noy will be coaching younger players and conditioning on his own for the first couple of weeks of camp. The Reno, Nev., product will get serious midway through camp.

"Yeah, I am totally on board with that," Van Noy said. "We are on the same page. I am just going to do whatever he asks me to do and go from there. I am not going to fight against it or do any of that. I am just going to listen to what he says and roll with it."

Not quite a snap

There have been at least two bad snaps out of the shotgun formation each day of practice as BYU attempts to find a center. Senior Manaaki Vaitai and sophomore Terrance Alletto are the primary candidates after projected 2013 center Blair Tushaus left the program last winter.

"We are breaking in a couple of brand new centers who have never done that," offensive coordinator Robert Anae said. "They are project centers. They are not natural centers. So there is a learning curve involved there."

Offensive line coach Garett Tujague said Monday that Alletto and Vaitai are like two heavyweight boxers vying for the spot, and the competition is so close that he may rotate centers the first few games until one seizes the position.

Oh, the memories

Van Noy said he remembers his first preseason camp as if it was yesterday.

"Just because I couldn't breathe," he said. "I wanted to cry and go back home to mom's cooking and everything. But it was good. I was hungry to get better. It is kind of funny. I was talking to Cody Hoffman about it. I said I feel like I am just as hungry as I was as a freshman, just because I want to win so badly."

Briefly

Running back Mike Alisa acknowledged that he underwent surgery two weeks ago because his broken arm was not healing properly. Doctors inserted a new plate into the bone and Alisa will sit out at least two weeks before participating in contact drills. ... Kickers Justin Sorensen and Trevor Samson made all the kicks they attempted during the 30 minutes the media was allowed to watch practice Monday.

drew@sltrib.com

Twitter: @drewjay