The focus has to change, and BYU football coach Bronco Mendenhall is certain it will for all of the freshmen who went from battling for positions to being part of an even bigger project: Beating another team.

The hope, says Mendenhall, is to get every player to realize that the shift is distinct and non-negotiable to "team first." That means a lot of players who came through the recruiting process with naturally selfish questions must sideline those agendas.

Battles for playing time will go on throughout the season, either because of performance or health issues, but senior captain David Nixon said it's for the good of everyone to stop fretting about the depth chart.

"The atmosphere starts to change a little bit," Nixon said. "It's not like camp, where you're constantly seeing the same guys and a lot of players are comparing themselves to teammates. Now, you focus in more on our packages, and start to learn their schemes. There is lots of film watching and analyzing. Your goals have to change, though."

BYU held a scrimmage last Wednesday and basically started preparing for the first game in earnest the following day.

Mendenhall's first order this week was to start the routine, even though it's not necessary until next week. Team meetings began Monday at the regularly assigned time of 2 p.m. to prepare for the structure of a normal class week. Then the team practiced at the Indoor Practice Facility, which could be common for the start of the week.

Other activities have been planned strategically to get through this week: extra meetings, weightlifting sessions and the like designed to curb indolence.

"What I've learned is that if you don't have something for them, they'll sleep until noon," Mendenhall said, particularly of younger players.

There were a couple of unusual flare-ups during three weeks of preseason camps. O'Neill Chambers, a true freshman from Florida, made some waves in one of the first days with his comments to an ESPN.com reporter in which he came off sounding disrespectful to more experienced teammates.

Redshirt freshman Jordan Pendleton got in a brief but somewhat public dispute (media was around the practice) with defensive coordinator Jaime Hill a couple of weeks later, after a frustrating practice.

Mendenhall has to expect some frustrations from young players in the upcoming weeks, as the recruiting process is myopic: What number will I wear? How much will I play?

Not even Mendenhall's philosophies on the proper way to acquire players can curb every attitude immediately.

But he's confident that more experienced players will help soften the ego blows of a depth chart released Monday -- one that a few players said they hadn't been told about.

The talent level has improved enough, Mendenhall indicated, to put six true freshman on the two-deep.

Chambers is listed as second string on two wide receiver slots and also could be used in both parts of the return game, kick and punt. Chambers said he's been "a little surprised" by that development but pleased.

Kicker Justin Sorensen will have his abilities showcased immediately out of high school, at least as the kickoff and long field goal-attempt specialist. His cousin, Daniel, is new at linebacker and behind Nixon.

Spencer Hafoka (wide receiver), Iona Pritchard (middle linebacker) and Shiloah Te'o (strong safety) have shown enough mettle to be considered immediate understudies.

Mendenhall praised the veterans for preparing the newest players about what will happen in camp, and also how to acclimate to this new phase.

"Older players have already exceeded what we've done in the past in terms of preparing them," Mendenhall said. "I'm not only talking about on the field, but off it as well. That's helpful to me as a head coach, and I sleep better."

Mendenhall has to give the freshmen some credit, too. It's an above-average class in his estimation.

"On any given year there's usually two or three that you look and say that I think we might have mis-evaluated either athletically or motivationally; or just how the fit was going to be," Mendenhall said. "In this particular year, I feel very good about it. There's probably more players that are in consideration than there have been before."

• First glance: UNI went 12-1 last year, reached the quarterfinals of the FCS (formerly Division I-AA) playoffs and Mendenhall doesn't see much if any dropoff.

"They're a team that knows how to win, they expect to win," he said.

Older BYU players have watched film of the Panthers all summer, said Nixon. He feels that the Cougars will face as good of a running back as they'll see all season in 6-foot, 197-pound senior Corey Lewis.

UNI will break in a new quarterback and lost four of the five starting offensive linemen -- a pair to the NFL -- but still begins this year ranked No. 4 in the FCS coaches poll.

"I don't think you'll see much difference between Northern Iowa and some of the better teams in (the Mountain West Conference)," Mendenhall said.

• Collie comes back...sort of: BYU is maintaining a cautious approach to the workload of Austin Collie, who was diagnosed with a stress fracture below his knee Aug. 1. He's not listed on the depth chart at kick returner -- yet. Right now it's Chambers and Reed White, as BYU opts to have two back at all times.

Collie has seen some work with quarterbacks and Mendenhall likes having him as a backup in case something happens to Max Hall, or as a "change of pace" option. Those two positions will take priority over special teams right now.

"Our plan is to wait until we see Austin's durability, and how much he can handle," the fourth-year coach said. "He'll be certainly on the field every play possible at receiver; possibly have a role at quarterback and then if that goes well, we might blend him into the return game again as well."

• Extra points: Most players received their first helmet stickers of the year following practice. White ones signify meeting various pillars through fall camp (later, they'll relate to game-oriented goals). Gold ones were issued for academic excellence or community service initiative. ...Defensive end Ian Dulan (shoulder) practiced again but appears to be behind Brett Denney on the depth chart.