FOXBORO -- For the Patriots’ secondary, the low point of the 2011 season came when former New England defensive back Rodney Harrison went all Comic Book Guy (“Worst Secondary Ever”) on the group in December.

And because of his early struggles, Devin McCourty became the Poster Child for the poor play in the secondary while suffering through a rough sophomore season. (According to Nuggetpalooza, McCourty yielded 1,115 receiving yards last year, second-most in the NFL -- Green Bay’s Tramon Williams allowed 1,120 -- and the most by a Patriots player since they began tracking the stat 17 years ago.)

In 2012, McCourty may have been the victim of unrealistic expectations. On the heels of a rookie year where he was second-team All Pro, he was frequently left without much safety help at the start of the 2011 season. McCourty was on an island against two of the league’s elite wide receivers in Brandon Marshall and Vincent Jackson. He was clearly not ready for the big stage as a shutdown corner, and it showed in those two games. Subsequently, it took some time for him to get his confidence back. That, combined with some late-season injuries, took its toll on McCourty’s game.

This summer, McCourty appears to have regained that level of confidence, and it’s showed. After playing both corner and safety at the end of the 2011 regular season and into the playoffs, he’s been used almost exclusively at corner throughout the spring and summer. He’s gone toe-to-toe on several occasions with Brandon Lloyd -- where he has looked competitive -- while working mostly as the lead corner with the starting defense.

While it’s still too early to try and figure out if he’s on the right track -- and making sure to point out there has been some good as well as bad through the first week-plus of camp -- it certainly appears he’s in a better place than he was last year.

“I wouldn’t say happy -- I still feel like it’s a process,” he said when asked whether or not he’s happy with where he is at this point on the calendar. “I have to keep getting better. Like I said, myself and as a [secondary], we’ve made some plays that we should make out there. We’ve corrected some things, and there are still some things we need to do better.”

As a group, McCourty says that the New England secondary has entered the 2012 season with a singular focus and vision.

“I think guys are focusing on doing the right thing,” McCourty said after Monday morning’s two-hour practice session. “Not focusing on what everyone else is talking about. Not focusing on trying to prove something. But just doing the right thing. Being in the right place and making plays.

“Last year is over -- [in 2011, there was] some good, some bad. Whatever that is, it’s over for us. And now, I think the focus is on this team and this year, and as a secondary. we’re trying to be there for this defense and be a big part of it.”

Entering his third season in the league, McCourty is one of the team's senior corners (only safety Patrick Chung and corner Kyle Arrington have more experience in New England in the defensive backfield), and he has slowly been able to expand his role as a leader. While McCourty is reticent to say that he’s stepped fully into a leadership role, he does find ways to help some of the new guys.

“I think the biggest thing for me is to use the amount I’ve had in my short career to help the other guys out,” he said. “A lot of the defense, I’ve been out there playing.  I’ve heard [the terminology] now for three years. I try to help the younger guys out -- guys who have only been here a year and haven’t heard it as much. [I’m] just trying to give them more knowledge and let them know some of my game experience.

“But I think those guys have done a great job just learning and being able to get thrown in there. It’s like we’ve all been playing together a while now,” he added. “A guy like Steve [Gregory] and Will [Allen], who have played a lot of years in this league, I think it was kind of easier for them to just learn, and then use a lot of their football knowledge to fit in well. I think the rookies have been doing a great job just studying and being able to be out there and show their talents and show why they were picked here and drafted here and signed here.”

Fundamentally, the Patriots’ secondary is a long way from the one that ended the 2011 season. They’ve made several additions at defensive back, both in the draft (Tavon Wilson, Nate Ebner, Alfonzo Dennard) and in free agency (Gregory, Allen, Marquice Cole). The depth has been built to such a point that it seems unlikely that New England will force part-timers and converts into the regular rotation at defensive back.

“We’re defensive guys,” McCourty said. “We’re proud of what we do, and I don’t think our attitude has changed that much from last year. We’re not happy with giving up touchdowns or having a high-powered offense win games. That’s not what we’re here for.

“I think guys have a changed attitude from last year, and guys will continue to just get better and focus on what we have to do. As a secondary, we know that’s a big part of defense throughout the league. For this team to play well defensively, we know we have to play well.”