*Transcripts of interviews with quarterbacks Mark Sanchez and Kellen Clemens after Saturday morning's training camp practice: *
QB Mark Sanchez
On how it felt to be playing with the ones…
It felt great. I think the reasoning was to get the tempo going and I thought we had a great drive in the two-minute drill. We scored a touchdown before halftime and it looked good all day, real sharp.
On benefitting from playing with the ones…
The more you get the reps, the more you get to practice and you get to get a chance to run with the ones and feel their speed and their tempo and you just match it and then try to bring them up a notch. I felt a real good chemistry in the huddle. I felt when I was calling the plays, the guys were feeling me and feeling my sense of urgency. When we were in third-and-short, fourth-and- short, we get out there and try to 'quick count,' things like that, and just go play and do what we know how to do, and just react to what the defense is doing. That was great for us.
On if he was excited to learn he would be playing with the ones today…
I couldn't even sleep (laughing), it was awesome. I've been looking over the script a million times, trying to get everything right so I'm accountable to those guys, and know that when I get in there, those are very important reps. They come few and far between. Who knows when I'll be with them again? I think I really took advantage of those reps and obviously, I was very excited to be with them.
On a deep completion to Jerricho Cotchery during practice…
I was throwing the ball, giving J-Co a chance, and Revis had him in tight coverage and (I) put it in a place where only Cotchery can get it, and he made a great adjustment for the ball. Obviously, you don't throw the ball down the field like that without great protection, so Nick [Mangold] and the boys did a great job on that play.
On Darrelle Revis' interception against him later in practice…
It was fourth-and-11, so we're taught in a normal situation, be ready to throw that ball away, throw it in the dirt, or run for what you can. But they were in coverage, it was the end of the game, we're trying to make a play. I tried to put it up high for Brad [Smith] and obviously Revis, who is very athletic, made a great play. Brad did a good job trying to grab (the ball).
On if he feels he took a step forward today…
Absolutely. Every day needs to be a step forward when you get a chance to go with that first-team group. I thought it really showed that I was ready for it, and I took advantage of that time. I knew once I learned I had a chance to run with the ones, that if I didn't make the most of the opportunity, I'd be upset. I made sure I was as prepared as possible and treated it like a game because you only get certain looks once. You have to take advantage of the throws and that was what I was trying to do.
On if the scrimmage helped put him in a better position…
That's up to Schotty (Brian Schottenheimer) to explain the decision (to put me with the ones), but it's important that whenever your number's called, that the theme. When they say, "Six, get in," you have to be on it, ready to go, whether you're starting the first play of the game or the first play of the third quarter, after halftime. You just have to be ready. Whatever went into the decision, obviously I have to keep improving and give the coaches reasons to keep me in with that group.
On if he and Kellen Clemens are alternating reps with the first team…
I think he's playing with the ones in the afternoon.
QB Kellen Clemens
On Mark Sanchez practicing with the first team today…
Coach (Rex Ryan) said early on that it was going to be an open competition, so today was the first day that Mark got the reps with the ones. I went with the twos. The program going forward is we're just switching every other practice for a while. That's the way we'll progress. That's the way it's been in every competition I've been a part of, so it didn't really come as much of a surprise. We'll just continue to work hard as an entire unit no matter who we're with and keep getting better.
On if he needs to start showing more…
Well, Coach (Ryan) is the one evaluating us. I think we've laid a very good foundation, but we're only a week in. Obviously we've got another week to get ready for St. Louis. We'll just continue to improve. That's the goal individually and collectively, just to continue improving each day.
On when he found out he was practicing with the second team…
Yeah, he (Brian Schottenheimer) gave us the heads up last night. He said, "Look, this is how we're going to do it. You guys will rotate every other practice with the ones and the twos, and we'll just flip-flop and continue to work hard.'"
On if he is able to coach the young players on the second unit…
Well, I try to. We've got some new guys out there who are working in and quite a few rookies on the second-team squad. So, when I can, I try to give a little heads up here and there. I've still got plenty to think about myself, but when things jump out, if we've got a safety doing something or a route adjustment, I try to give them a little heads up.
