CB Dwight Lowery explodes from the starting blocks.
Transcript of head coach Eric Mangini's news conference with the New York Jets media after Saturday morning's minicamp practice:
Just this morning watching practice, with the volume of information that these guys are dealing with right now, you can see it's catching up to them a little bit. It is a completely different world for all of them and I've liked their approach. They've been conscientious and working hard. That's the draft picks and the rookies that we've signed and the tryout guys as well, but we've opened up a whole new box of information.
Some of these guys like [Vernon] Gholston and [Dustin] Keller are getting to work on things like special teams, which they haven't been a huge part of over the latter parts of their [college] careers. Now it's something that they have to be not just aware of but that they'll be involved in deeply. That adds another rock on the pile for them.
We're going to keep moving this afternoon, keep giving them more, and they're going to adjust to it and work at it like they have been. I saw David Harris in here yesterday, and he claims he was here for a workout but I think it was a function of him wanting to be here and not be part of rookie weekend the way he was last year and enjoy the afternoon and see these guys. He appreciates the transition that they're going through, and he seemed a lot happier yesterday than he did a year ago yesterday.
On having some veteran players participate in this camp …
We talked about that in the opening meeting because there's so many different types of players in the room. There's the draft picks, the guys who have signed, the tryout guys and the guys who have been with the team for a little while, and they do have an edge over the other group. But again, they're all in the same room together. It does give them some idea of where they're headed and what the possibilities are.
On how early they looked at Dustin Keller in the evaluation process before the draft …
We looked at Keller, and that unfolded because you look at the group of tight ends, and I worked on them a little bit later [in the process]. Between the combine, the post-combine interviews, the workouts, things like that, it started to evolve.
On how he evaluates the different groups of players at this camp …
They're all mixed together, and there's so many of them, that usually the way a guy distinguishes himself is to pop on tape or pop in a meeting and distinguish himself, either the way he's answering questions, the things he does athletically, or it could be in a special teams drill. When you go into a staff meeting you start talking about guys. I may say to the coaches, "Anybody that you want to bring up and talk about? Is there anybody that's standing out amongst the group?" We'll talk about those guys and then I'll have the scouts look at them a little bit more closely, I'll look at them a little bit more closely, and they just keep creating more awareness as they go through the weekend.
On whether he views the drafted players differently …
Yes, you know them the best, and you're most familiar with them, and now to see them in the uniform, to see them doing the things that we do, you're definitely evaluating that, but you're also trying to see the rest of the group and make sure that you've got the best unit going into OTAs and training camp.
On how he picks which veteran players will come to this camp …
It's just by league rules. Whomever the league allows us to have in, we have in.
On whether it's based on who might interact with the other players better …
No. We'll have a couple of guys in tonight to talk to the rookies as a group that we choose, but the ones that can actually participate in the weekend are based on who the league allows to participate in the weekend.
On how Dustin Keller fits in at tight end with Bubba Franks and Chris Baker on the roster …
All those guys will just have to see how it works out during the course of OTAs and training camp and what the different roles are. We've developed packages in the past where you may have different combinations of those guys in based on what you're trying to get done offensively. Someone may distinguish himself in the red zone, someone may distinguish himself on third down. You just try to see where they best fit, what the best combinations are, and how you want to use them most effectively.
On what they have seen from Erik Ainge so far ...
I've liked the things he's done in the classroom. He's gotten quite a bit of information. With Brett [Ratliff] here, we can move a little bit quicker, and we have. That's been good for Erik as well, to see Brett and to have that other, more experienced quarterback in the room. But he's held his own, and he's done a nice job there. I think he's done a good job in the huddle in terms of getting guys not just the play but lined up, and going through his read progressions — and there are a lot. That's a tough spot to come in as a quarterback and have to run the offense. Brian [Schottenheimer] and Brian [Daboll] are very demanding, not just in terms of scheme but in terms of technique and fundamentals and things like that. They're two of the most detailed guys I know. To sit in the room with those two guys, it's not easy.
On if any player is ahead of where he expected ...
No, I think they're all swimming at the same rate, trying to keep their heads above water. That's pretty common. Over the years it's always been the same for rookie weekend. It's just a blur for them. They'll be tired.
On if he plans to have punters Ben Graham and Jeremy Kapinos compete in training camp …
We're going to look at both those guys and give them an opportunity to state their case. They've been working with [special teams coordinator] Kevin [O'Dea]. Kevin has had a strong track record with kickers and punters, and not just improving established guys but also developing young guys, which is one of the things I liked about Kevin when I interviewed him and eventually hired him.
On if he has seen any progress with Kapinos ...
It's tough to say right now because we haven't done a lot of true punt team drills. It's been more piecemeal, where the gunners are going or the interior is going and he's punting the ball, but it's not with a designated rush, the handling time, things like that. That's not as important to the drill as getting the coverage set, so it's harder to say how much progress he's made.
On Danny Woodhead …
He's done a good job. He's hard to find, and for a couple reasons, you know? The obvious one [laughs], and he's pretty quick, he's pretty elusive, and he's done a good job mentally picking up the information. We just have to see how that continues to develop. But I've been pleased with what I've seen early on.
On the Hofstra University players invited to camp …
They've all been very conscientious. They've all worked extremely hard. They all seem well-coached and -disciplined. I like that about the group. They've done a good job collectively and individually. I think it's a testament to them and a testament to the coaching staff at Hofstra.
On why there are no wrestlers in this year's camp ...
The Olympics are killing us [laughter]. It's looming there. If we can just push it up before rookie minicamp, I'm sure there would be a lot of guys that are available. But they've got the trials that are coming up. We looked.
On if he spoke with Dwight Lowery before the draft ...
Yes, I had spent a little time with him talking prior to his interview at the combine, and not that we were betting anything significant, I think it was a dollar, I said that he'd stand out in his interview, and I won. He's good. He comes in and he could explain what he was doing at the corner position but he could also explain what the whole secondary was doing.
We had some film there, so if it was a blitz or some kind of zone blitz, he could explain what the linebackers were responsible for under these zone coverages. He saw the whole picture from the corner spot, where a lot of times those corners come in, they can explain, "OK, I got that cat," and that's pretty much it. But you want them to be able to see the big picture so they understand how they fit, and he did.
