Brent Ratliff scrambling for the Utes
Transcripts of interviews with various players in the New York Jets locker room during the second day of the team's rookie minicamp Sunday:
FB JESSE ALLEN, undrafted free agent
On where he was when the shootings took place at Virginia Tech ...
I was off campus, about a mile away. Then the day turned into watching TV, trying to figure out what is going on. It went from a couple of injuries, to a few dead, to that horrible number at the end.
On if he knew any of the victims ...
No.
On if he received any of the messages sent out by the school ...
They sent out a few notices to keep us updated on the situation.
On the criticism the school has received for their decisions ...
I believe the school did everything in their power to do the right thing. The first incident happened in a dorm room. I guess they felt they had isolated the incident. At that point what do you do? Do you send all the kids from their classes back to the dorms? It is just a hard decision. I think the president and the faculty did the best they could.
On if he was trying to check on teammates when the shooting happened ...
I checked on a bunch of guys, a few guys I knew had classes over there in that area. I called them, if I could get a call out. It was hard to get a call out, I tried four, five, 10 times.
On if it is too early to know how the shooting has changed him ...
I imagine it will catch up with me. There is a lot going on in my life right now. I'm just trying to grasp it all.
LB DAVID HARRIS, second-round draft choice
On learning the playbook ...
It is the first couple of days of minicamp. You have to get the playbook and learn what you're supposed to do. Once you do that, you're able to play faster, without hesitation, on the field.
On learning the terminology ...
Every team you go to has different terminology. You have to go in there and learn their system. In the NFL there are a lot more checks and adjustments, a lot more fronts, a few different formations.
CB DARRELLE REVIS, first-round draft choice
On what side of the field he played in college ...
I played both left and right corner with Coach [Dave] Wannstedt. Coach Mangini has me playing both now. He is an intelligent coach and he is just trying to put me in the best position to succeed.
On if he was prepared well in college for what he is doing now ...
Coach Wannstedt has over 30 years of experience in college and in the NFL. He's coached a lot of great guys. Just going through his program and his system really helped me a lot. I thank Coach Wannstedt and the University of Pittsburgh for that.
On his ability to learn the system ...
We are football players. You have to get in there and learn the plays. If you don't know anything, then the coach is not going to put you on the field.
On if the terminology is a challenge ...
Some of it is the same as college and some of it is the same but it's different wording. Right now I just have to get focused on the Jets terminology.
On being a leader among the rookies ...
Right now it is just getting the team motivated.
S LEONARD PETERS, undrafted free agent
On his tattoos ...
I started researching my family history. Each design on my arm is a family generation in my group, so each symbol had a family name to it.
On if there will be more tattoos to come ...
Yes, I just started doing my leg again.
On what he has taken from this minicamp ...
The speed and the tempo is a notch up in the NFL from college. It is also a great opportunity. Who thought a guy from a small island in Hawaii would come in and try out for the Jets? I am just grateful for the opportunity.
On not being drafted ...
I heard everything about the draft, but to me it wouldn't matter where I went. I am just grateful that I am here now and that I got the opportunity to come out here and run around with some of the top guys in the nation.
On what he can do now to ensure a roster spot ...
If we're here, they've done enough research on us to know what we can do. Being here, we have to try to learn the plays and formations and stuff like that. The thing we can do is try to show how bad we want it and give effort.
On the possibility he could be released ...
You can get let go any time, any day. They don't have to have a reason. I'm going by the hour. I'm enjoying everything. I look at my name on the locker and on our helmets and stuff like that. I am just enjoying the whole situation.
On how the Jets contacted him after the draft ...
They were good about calling me and asking me if I wanted to play football for them. For me, I just thought it was a great opportunity with a great organization, a great place to come in and try out.
On learning the plays ...
Like any team, they have a lot of things that you have to adjust to, so I am just trying my best.
On what it is like to have a coach yell at him ...
It's good. You take it as a positive. If they yell at you it means they care about you a lot. I take it as a positive.
On his possible performance in the rookie talent show ...
I have to make it through the day. Who's to say I'll make it to the rookie show? Like I said, I just go hour by hour. If the coaches call you up into the office, then you're done. I'm just trying to enjoy the experience and try my hardest.
On the other rookies knowing that he dances ...
I'm sure they don't know. It's a good thing they don't.
WR JESSE PELLOT-ROSA, tryout
On changing from basketball to football ...
It's a big transition. The speed of the game and the playbook are all different. I'm going to keep working hard and go from there.
On other teams and sports being interested in him ...
Not that I know of.
On the last time he played football ...
Four years ago.
