Transcript of Jets head coach Rex Ryan's news conference Thursday afternoon:
A couple things. It's funny. All my life, I have been an assistant coach and all that kind of stuff and now my first day as a head coach I have no idea where to stand so I went and coached the defensive line for a little bit today. That was fun. It's funny because I almost felt like I have been chained to a chair or whatever as the head coach because you have to wear a lot of different hats. It's just great to be out there, be around football and coaching.
It was a lot of fun today. I think the tempo was good. I expect our offense not to be finely tuned, but this is the fourth year that a lot of these players have been in this system under Brian [Schottenheimer]. It's great because you don't normally see multiple shifts, motion, empty backfield and all these other things. That was great to see. We are obviously way ahead of where most teams are with the offensive system.
It's also great for me to see we're in the beginning stages of putting in this defense again. To be honest with you, the defense right now is a smart group and they are way ahead of where we normally are. Normally, you have so many mental mistakes it's unreal. I told the offense the last couple of days that we are not responsible for some of those blitzes that we are going to do out there because they are inventing their own stuff. It was pretty well-coordinated. I tip my hat to Mike Pettine and obviously the defensive staff. They have done an outstanding job of getting these guys ready.
I think with Sal [Alosi] you see the difference with this football team not in football shape right now, but we are ahead of the game and I think that is a lot of credit to Sal, his staff and the program that we have in place. I am really excited about it.
The only negative thing I really saw out there is we had fun, but we need to have more fun out there. Guys flying around and enjoying the competition with each other. I told those guys I expect that this afternoon and realize how fortunate we are to be in this situation.
On Bart Scott using the word "swaggalicious" to describe the attitude needed by the team…
I think that is what you've got to have. We have to believe in each other. The coaches have to believe in the players, this organization, the talent that we have and there is no reason not to. This is a good football team. We expect to win and I think our tempo in practice and all that should be a reflection of that.
If we walk around and I know sometimes it's "Don't say anything, let's just let our pads do the talking." We are going to let our pads do the talking. You will see and the opponents will see. We want to have fun and we want to be ourselves. If a young man likes to go out there and talk and express himself that way, then so be it. Generally, those are the guys that have to back it up and it's a lot of fun to see.
Of course, Bart is just being Bart and that is one of the reasons why he is here. We've got to have that. We have to loosen up. We have Bart playing one way and that is his style and then David [Harris] won't say boo. It's a great combination. I think if you combine them, they are normal guy, but those two are a rare combination. You have two outstanding players and we are certainly building our defense through the middle. We have Kris Jenkins, David Harris and Bart Scott, and by the way we have two Pro Bowl corners. This is not a bad group.
On Thomas Jones and Erik Ainge…
First off, this is a voluntary camp and I know the focus unfortunately is on two guys that aren't here. In Erik's case, it's a personal issue and that is where it is. With Thomas you are probably better off talking to him. This is a voluntary camp and he is volunteering not to show up. You will have to find out through him why he is not here.
On if he has spoken to Thomas…
I have talked to Thomas before, yes. Again, I am focused on the people that are here. This football team out here is what my focus is and where my focus is. I am proud to have everybody out there in a voluntary camp flying around and having fun.
On if Ainge's personal issue will hurt his chances at the starting position…
I am really not going to comment on that. Erik is going to have an opportunity to compete here. We said that going in. Our quarterback situation is 1 and 1A with [Kellen] Clemens and [Brett] Ratliff. Then, Erik will have an opportunity as well. It's just a personal thing that he is not here right now. That's all that I am going to comment on that.
On if the QBs' performances in minicamp will have an impact on what the Jets will do in the draft…
I think when you look at the guys that we have had in, we have had a ton of guys come through here. I think it's funny how the focus comes around when we had two or three quarterbacks in. Again, it's like any other position. We are evaluating every position in this camp. One way or the other, I don't think that a quarterback is going to do this or that is going to be what we fully go on.
Obviously, it's great to see it up close right now how guys can lead and it's an opportunity for me to see that, but there is a lot of tape out there that we have already studied as well and, like I said, we have confidence in the quarterback situation here with Kellen, Ratliff and Erik. You can read into anything you want. I know everybody will, but we like our quarterbacks here.
On if there are any positions the team needs to upgrade…
We will find out, but I feel great about this football team. I was talking with Mike Tannenbaum and he was like "Did you see any good players?" I said I saw a ton of them. They are right down in our locker room.
Those are the guys that I am really focused on and the draft will be what it is. I know Mike and the scouts with everybody up there, Joey [Clinkscales], do a great job. Let me tell you. I have sat in on those meetings. It's as thorough as I have ever seen and whoever we select will be good football players and we will be able to add to this football team. Is there a specific thing? Do we need a right gunner or whatever it is? I'm not going to go into that. I feel pretty confident with the group that we have.
On the adjustments players have to make after Brett Favre's retirement…
You move on. When you have a great player whether it's an injury, whether it's to a great player being traded, leaving your team and going to another team, you have those memories that you carry. Hopefully, there are guys that have gained some things from them from being around a great player like Brett. I am sure he had an effect on a lot of guys, but you just have to move on and, again, the focus needs to be on the people that are here in this building. Right now, I am excited about it and I am sure they are as well.
On if Kareem Brown switching to tight end is just for minicamp…
First of all, you have to have the mental capacity to play several positions and Kareem has that. Poor guy goes to every offensive meeting and every defensive meeting, but he's got that kind of ability. I checked with Mike Devlin today and he said he is doing outstanding as a tight end and that speaks volume of that young man.
A lot of times to get to the last spots on the active roster, you need to have a guy that can fix it. Whether it's a tight end, whether it's an outside linebacker, whether it's a defensive end. Last year we had a young man that we tried to do that with in Baltimore, Edgar Jones, and if you watched tape of the AFC Championship game and even before that against Tennessee, he might have played half the game. It wasn't planned that way, but we needed him.
With Kareem, he has a great attitude. He just wants to help the football team. He is unselfish. It's tough. He has got to learn a lot of different things, but he has that kind of talent.
On if this team can win by outscoring teams…
I don't care how we win them. We can win them, 50-49, whatever. We plan on winning a bunch of them. I know Tom Brady is coming back. Guess what, so is Darrelle Revis, Kris Jenkins and Leon Washington. We have great players coming back as well and that is no disrespect to Tom Brady, but we are worried about our team.
We don't care about anybody else's team. We have a starting point of where we are at nowand we know where we are going. That is going to be our mission, to go out with a purpose every day on the practice field and get better.
On Leon Washington being an every-down back…
He is a such a dynamic back. It's funny because you would think that, well, sure you would have him out there every down. But he is so explosive with what he gives on special teams as well. Clearly, we would not have him in an ideal situation running the ball every single down and being that guy. I think the league is moving where it's more of a share-the-responsibility backfield anyway and, obviously, when you have a couple of great players then you need to give everybody an opportunity.
Leon gives us so much in special teams just like Jim Leonhard is going to give us a lot as a punt returner. He is probably going to take some plays off on defense as well even though he is a tremendous talent. We feel great about the depth of this football team as well. It's not just about that guy specifically. It's about the whole unit.
On if players feel his approach is different from the previous staff…
I don't know. Again, I am not worried about what happened. A lot of these guys come from this team, that team, whatever. [Donald] Strickland comes from San Francisco, we have guys from Baltimore. We have guys that have obviously stayed here. It is what we are doing now. We are moving forward. It doesn't matter who coached who last year or anything else. Our focus is on the present.
On if the results of this minicamp will affect what they do in the draft…
An injury or something like that could certainly affect it. We are just out here seeing where this football team is at right now, but I want to get the input from the assistant coaches and see how they feel about their guys. If they feel we still need this, then maybe we will go after that. If everything is equal, maybe we will go after that.
To me, it's always better, and the thing I learned through Ozzie [Newsome] is to take the best players because you never have enough good football players. If that means we are going to take an offensive lineman even though we have a good offensive line, then you know he is the best player.
On David Clowney…
He was impressive today. I know that. Everybody of course knows about the great speed he has. I like his confidence. He seems to be a very talented young man and he enjoys playing the game. He's running routes. He likes to compete. It doesn't matter if Darrelle is out there or Lito or whomever. He likes competing and that is what you want to see. I am excited about him.
He ran some good routes today, not just the deep ones, but when you have that explosive speed that he has, the first thing you worry about if you are trying to cover him is I better make sure that I am high. I better make sure that I am deep enough and a lot of times that will open up things underneath for him. I think Clowney is that kind of guy. Obviously, I was impressed with him today. I was impressed with him in the preseason as I am sure everybody was.
On Clemens and Ratliff…
The good thing is these are good quarterbacks. They are not new to the system. They have a head start. With Kellen, this will be his fourth season in this system under Brian [Schottenheimer] and with Ratliff, it will be his [third] year. These guys feel good about it. They know the offense.
I saw Kellen today taking care of his receivers. He is telling some of the young guys where to line up and all that kind of stuff and what routes to run. These guys have a good grasp of our system already and obviously that is huge when you play that position.
On the biggest adjustment on becoming a head coach…
I am fortunate because I have a great coaching staff here. I am not letting go, but it's hard to sit down and say, 'We are putting this defense in, I've done it 100 years, oh, [Mike] Pettine has it. I'll sit in on those meetings. 'Oh, let me get up there and talk about it.' I will admit I have sat in on some offensive meetings and been like "OK, so who doesn't belong here?" The great thing is it's fun and I am learning it.
I sat in on special teams today with Mike Westhoff. It's funny because his teaching style is very similar to my style. It's likeable and learnable. I don't mind sharing them with you: "If it's eight or less, it's button press, if it's 15 or more it's back door and if it's one on one go over the top." All right, anything else? I learned that from special teams today. It's good, it's good to me. When you get the rules like those things, it's easy for players to pick up. It was impressive for me today.
On watching Westhoff coach…
Yes, it's always good. I knew that obviously he has a great reputation in this league and you know a lot about him. What I enjoy most is that he is himself and I think that is why he is so successful. He doesn't worry about being somebody else or whatever. We are really blessed to have him.
On if it possible that Ainge is done as a player…
I don't think that that is a possibility. I think this is just a personal issue that he is dealing with. It is no big deal. You will have to talk to Erik about his situation.
On if Ainge's absence will factor into adding another quarterback…
We will see what happens. We feel confident that Erik will be back with this football team.
On the players that did not practice today…
Brandon [Moore] and Shaun [Ellis] are coming off of surgery. Brandon had sports hernia surgery. He is doing well. Shaun had a little knee thing that he fixed up and he is doing outstanding. Big Kat [Ellis] is doing well. If we had to play tomorrow, he probably would be out there. [Dustin] Keller is [a bit under the weather].
On if he has received any advice from his father on being a first-time head coach…
Yeah, but this is certainly not my show, this is our show here at the Jets. If you look at the support staff that I have around me, it has been outstanding. Mike Tannenbaum is general manager, I have spent a lot more time with him then I have my wife the last few weeks. And my wife is a lot better looking.
These guys are experts in their field. If you look at the way our scouting department works, I have been blown away with them. They do an outstanding job up there. Everyone is on the same page. I think everyone is excited about the future of this football team. The team feels a certain energy around here and it is great to be around.
On people saying the Jets need to upgrade the wide receiver position…
I do not know who people have talked to about it, but I think we have a lot of great football players here. We have talked about David Clowney, who is doing an outstanding job. You have Jerricho [Cotchery], who I know first-hand we could not cover and we were pretty good on defense in Baltimore. I feel good about him. I feel good about Keller.
You look at Brad Smith. He is one of the scariest athletes in the league. He really is. This is the time, right now, this year, that he needs to step up. Can he be an every-down receiver? We are going to find out. I can tell you this: We [Baltimore] knew where he was. You had to know where he was and not just for the gadgets and all of that. This kid has all of the ability in the world. He just has to show it.
On having any interest in Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin…
I do not think I can comment on someone else's roster.
On training camp…
First let me say, the facility here is outstanding. I had a vision for this football team — any team I was going to be the head coach of — I like having training camp away from your facility. It has nothing to do with our facility or getting out of Florham Park — I love it here. These facilities are better than anybody's in the league.
It is about getting away. Getting away from the comforts of this place, of the surrounding areas, where their homes are, and putting them in a camp situation where all they have are each other. It won't be someone going in this direction and someone going in that direction. There is nothing else. We are just going to be together. We are trying to build the chemistry of our football team in training camp. That is the number one thing. I see that as a huge plus for us if we are able to do that.
On potentially moving to Buffalo Bills country for training camp…
We are not saying where we are moving to yet. It is natural to focus on other teams. They are just nameless, faceless people, I am sorry to say. We are focused on us. We are focused on the New York Jets. We are trying to build this team. If we do it in Alaska, it might be a long trip but if that is where training camp is ... It is about our football team. It has nothing to do with we are going here or we are going there. We are just trying to build a football team.
