Transcript of Jets head coach Rex Ryan's news conference after Wednesday's midday practice:
First off I would like to say that the country lost a great American in Ted Kennedy today. I'm not a big politician but I know Senator Kennedy did a lot of good for this country. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
And now the news from here, I made the decision to go with Mark Sanchez as our starting quarterback. It was a decision that I told you a long time ago, that an ideal situation would be that going into our third preseason game we would make a decision. The reason you do that ideally is — this is the most your starters play in any preseason game. You're trying to get ready and focused on the regular season. Regardless of who the quarterback is, you're trying to get them as many reps with the first unit as possible. So those are the reasons why you really want to make that decision now. I think this was the appropriate time to make the decision. I feel very comfortable with my decision to go with Sanchez as the quarterback.
I've relied on a lot of people but more than anything I relied on myself — my instinct as a coach. I've been around the game a long time. I feel that the best move for our franchise and for our team is to go with Mark as our quarterback. That's not a slight to Kellen Clemens at all. I think we can win with Kellen also as a quarterback, but right now I think Mark gives us the best opportunity to win. That's what I owe this franchise. That's why I made this decision. It's not based on any other decision. Again, this was strictly my decision. I certainly leaned on people, guys that I have a great deal of respect for but again this was my decision.
On when he knew he was going to name Sanchez the starting quarterback…
We get volumes of information from the minicamps, the OTAs, the training camps, the meetings, and the preseason games. So, I have plenty of information. I talked to people that I really respect in this business. It certainly helped me make my decision, but at the end of the day I'm going to rely on my instincts and just a gut feeling that I have because I don't think there was a clear-cut winner statistically. Statistically when you look at them, they are very similar whether you're tracking throws in the preseason game or whether you're doing it on the practice field.
But I think I'm doing the right thing for this organization. I know I am. That's what my heart tells me. Last night, is really when I made that decision. I wasn't ready to make it right after the game because I wanted to see the game. I wanted to see how things were and I never thought it was appropriate to go in front of national media. I wasn't ready to do that. I wanted to really put some more thought into it, but I'm very comfortable with my decision right now.
On if it was appropriate that the Sanchez being named the starter was leaked to Jay Glazer…
That was interesting. That's unfortunate. Obviously that's something that I have a tough time dealing with. When I found out about it, I'm sure most of you were contacted by Bruce [Speight, senior director of media relations] almost immediately after when I was told of this. To me, if any information is going to be leaked it's going to be leaked to our beatwriters who are here everyday.
On if Sanchez's camp leaked the information…
That wasn't a thought of mine at all. That never even entered my thoughts. Our thing was I wanted to talk to the two quarterbacks. We pulled both Kellen and Mark in and we met together. All of us met. That was when I made that decision. I was not going to say anything until this meeting right here to anybody. Unfortunately, things happen. I don't know how it happened or what happens, but I also wanted our beatwriters to know that as soon as that happened, I wanted our beatwriters to know immediately. And that's why we tried to confirm what was out there through Bruce. I even said, 'Bruce do you want me to take half the list and I'll call?' It was unfortunate because I respect the job that our beatwriters do here.
On specifically why he chose Sanchez as the starter because during the Baltimore game he looked shaky…
That's true. It's not going to go perfect every week. There is no question it's not. I'd rather not get into specifics. I don't think that's fair to Kellen or anybody. I'd rather not do that. I'm happy to have both these young men as quarterbacks on this football team. I just feel very comfortable and very confident in my decision to go with Sanchez.
On Sanchez's qualities that tell him he's a starting quarterback in the NFL…
I think he's got everything, all of the things you look for. Obviously there are some physical traits you've got to have to play the position. You've got to have enough arm strength to play here. I know there have been great quarterbacks in the past in college football that don't make the transition to the NFL game because maybe they don't have the arm strength it takes. Clearly, Sanchez has that. He's bigger than you think. He's not a small guy. He's a thick-bodied guy. He's not the tallest guy of all time, he's a little over 6'2", but he's a big, thick guy. I think he's got a good grasp of our system. I think that will only get better. He's got good movement skills. He has the talent to be an outstanding quarterback and I also love his mental makeup.
A lot of guys in that situation and you guys reported it, I read articles and I forgot about it. Eli Manning had the Blutarsky quarterback rating against the Ravens and I was over there on the Ravens sideline. He had the 0.0 quarterback rating. So, that's not the easiest team to go up against but the way he responded that shows you the kind of character he has. He responds with a touchdown pass to Leon Washington that was a great throw. He's ready. He wants to be out there regardless of what happens. You've got to have a bit of a short memory there as well at quarterback.
Again, this is nothing saying that Kellen doesn't have those things because he's got very similar traits. His throw right before the second half wasn't the greatest decision he's probably made and we actually never had Clemens scheduled to play in the third quarter. If that decision was already predetermined I could have easily done it then, but I wanted him to rebound from it. I wanted him to get the opportunity to come back out, show what he can do, and give us an opportunity to win and he throws a touchdown pass.
This decision wasn't just based on one game or anything else. It was a collection of information and really at the end of the day I feel good about it. It's just like pulling a trigger on the last play of the game. Do you blitz? Do you drop eight? What do you do? I've always felt comfortable in that game on the line decision and I feel comfortable with this decision as well.
On what he can use from his experience with then-rookie quarterback Joe Flacco to deal with a rookie quarterback this year…
Well, it's probably a lot. My history is obviously going to affect my present. I felt Joe Flacco was ready to be the quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens before a lot of people did because I saw that poise. I saw the athleticism and the big arm. I knew the kid had it. Did that play into it? Maybe in the back of my mind. I tried to separate it, just make it a different competition but maybe in the back of my mind that had something to do with it.
On if anyone tried to talk him out of naming Sanchez the starter…
That's a great question. You know what most people would say? Almost everybody said, "Rex you've been around the game long enough. You'll know the decision when it's time to make it and you know what it looks like."
On if Clemens had to do a little extra to win the starting job…
No, not necessarily. It was an open competition. I just feel good about the decision and it's not being disrespectful to Kellen Clemens. I just feel right now, moving forward that Mark gives us the best opportunity to be successful.
On if he considered bringing in an experienced QB to help Sanchez with the transition…
Not really. My thought was with [quarterbacks coach] Matt Cavanaugh, we've got a guy who coaches that position but he played that position and backed up some pretty good quarterbacks. 16 years of experience as a quarterback. I kind of felt that we didn't need that and truly to have a quarterback competition I thought it had to be down to two guys.
Erik Ainge has played really well for us but I never thought it could really be a true competition. If you had three guys, it would be hard for them to get the reps. One guy could flash and maybe you want to get a real accurate look at what you were getting. I thought if we brought in another veteran quarterback that I wasn't so sure it would really be a fair competition for Kellen or for Mark.
On if he will have to play around Sanchez and have more running plays and a sound defense early on…
That might be the formula that we had anyway whether it was Kellen as the quarterback or Mark as the quarterback. I think we have to play great defense and great on special teams. The blueprint that I'm used to and the success that I've been around is based on playing great defense.
We're not hiding from that fact at all. I think we need to run the football. You've seen the success that I've been around at Baltimore, the years we were really successful, we ran the football well. Maybe I'm wrong but I read somewhere that over the last 20 years we might have run the ball more than anybody in that one year last year. We were very successful running the football. We have a team that has an outstanding offensive line and outstanding running backs so we're going to want to run the football.
Is that all we're going to do? No. I want to have a team that if you step up and all that you are focused on is playing the run that we can make you pay. I think we will be able to throw it over your head and make plays down the field.
On if he will change the offensive plan later in the season once Sanchez has gotten some experience…
It could, but I think the blueprint that I've been around that has been successful will always be based on playing great defense and having the ability to run the football. Will we throw it more? Maybe. If we go in there and we're able to run it like I think we will be able to run the football and be able to play defense like I think we can play defense, we will have a chance to be successful.
On if he was pleased about the quarterback competition…
I was. I thought the competition made them both better. They both went out everyday. They had to work. They knew you guys and everybody else would be writing about it. I think that was good because it was going to be in the paper. The statistics and everything else is right there in black and white. I thought that was great.
It was never a personal battle between them. They made it more personal like, "I'm going to go out and I've got to perform well period." It was never like "I hope this guy does bad." I never got that feeling whatsoever from those two. They pushed each other. I really think the media helped as well. That drove these guys. The media here is a little different than anywhere else — it's right there in front of us. It was a positive thing. Again, this is my decision and we'll see if it's the right decision going forward but I think it is.
On if Clemens never got going even after being in the system for four years…
I see it like he does have a great grasp of this system. Mark, if anything, he closed the gap which you would expect. He's going to learn that system. He has to learn it or we wouldn't even be having this conversation. It would have been totally the other way that we would have gone straight with Kellen. Mark is getting a good grasp of the system. Does Kellen still know it better than Mark does? I would say that's a true statement but I know Mark is working hard and he's trying to learn it like Kellen does. And I think Kellen is helping him as well. Just to say he won it by default I think is being way too disrespectful to Kellen.
On if Sanchez's second pass vs. Baltimore game had been an INT-return touchdown, would his decision have been different…
No. I don't think it would have been.
On slighting Clemens when Sanchez did not play well against Baltimore…
I think he played poorly early. As the game went on I thought Mark played pretty well. That's not the only quarterback that struggled against that defense.
On the fact that Baltimore didn't have Bart Scott or Terrell Suggs playing on the defense…
That's true. Our defense didn't have [Kris] Jenkins or [Darrelle] Revis or even another backup corner and you guys want to focus on someone throwing a bomb over our seventh corner. There are always things like that that go into it. They don't have this person or that person. You can always make [that argument]. When you look at the list of quarterbacks who have struggled against that defense, Ray Lewis hasn't played every game there. I know he missed 10 games one season. I know Ed Reed missed 8 one season. There are players that miss or are there through it. That's a good football team, a good defense from top to bottom.
On if Eli Manning dominated against the Ravens defense last year…
Dominated? I don't think so. I think the running game dominated that defense last year as you put it.
On what happened in the meeting this morning with the quarterbacks…
I think I did the majority of the talking in there. I'd rather not go into the specifics of our discussion. If Mark and Kellen want to that's fine. We're certainly not holding anything back. I'd just rather it come from them instead of me.
On if it would have been tougher for him to give the quarterback job to a rookie if he didn't feel as good about the run game and the defense…
That's a great point. It really is. That's a very valid statement but I know what our defense is going to be. I know what our running game is going to be. I'm looking at all kind of different scenarios. I just see that we're going to have a football team that can run the football. I know we're going to have a defense that's going to be one of the top defenses in the league. If we were a different team or our M.O. wasn't like that then maybe you're right but it is like that. That's part of the reason why I'm so comfortable with this decision.
On his comments during OTAs that he had a feeling about who the starting quarterback would be and if it turned out to be right…
I'll just keep that to myself, if you don't mind.
On if he thinks that big part of Flacco's success was that he was on a team with a good defense and running game…
He started off throwing one touchdown and seven interceptions to start the season so you might look at that too. Joe Flacco's successful not based just on himself and Mark Sanchez is going to be successful here not based just on his physical ability to play the position of quarterback. He's going to be successful because he's got great teammates around him and that's what you're going to see here.
Again, we'll see what happens. The great thing is we do play for real in September. I know who's going to be accountable — that's me. I'll be accountable for everything that goes on with this organization win, lose or draw. Well the defense is not going to do this or whatever. That should come on my shoulders and it will. But I've got broad shoulders, I can take it. I also have a vision for this football team. I've been around enough to know what it looks like. This is a good football team. We have a good football team here. We'll be able to prove it come September. That's the beauty of this. So all the questions are going to get answered is September.
