Transcripts of interviews with Jets players following Thursday's morning training camp practice:
QB KELLEN CLEMENS
On his approach to practice ...
Each day we come out here for practice, we do a certain number of drills individually as quarterbacks and then get into team stuff and get rolling. You just try to complete every pass you can and work to improve on each drill. Being in my second year, I'm trying to look at a lot of the intricacies of the offense and dive deeper into some of the run-blocking schemes, the pass protection, how we block in certain looks, so mentally I have been trying to expand my knowledge of the offense in that aspect. I'm getting quite a few reps, so I'm trying to go out and improve each day, put my team in a good spot when we go out there and move the football.
On dealing with the heat …
We're holding up. We're battling through it. You definitely notice it's hot out here, especially when we're on the turf. It would be a distraction if we let it be, so we try to battle through it and do the best we can to get ready for the first game.
On the music selection during practice …
They slide a little bit of country in there every once in a while to throw us a bone. In the heat of the moment all you hear is noise, so it doesn't matter what they are playing. The music is intended to be a distraction. It gets us ready to play on the road in some loud stadiums and gets us used to communicating more with signals than if it were quiet.
On extra work he did after practice …
I just took a few drops. I wanted to work on some footwork stuff, so that when I'm doing my drops in a game situation I don't have to think but react.
On his relationship with the other quarterbacks …
There is definitely a bond because we spend so much time together. You absolutely form one whether you want to or not. It's a great working relationship that we have between the four of us [Chad Pennington, Brett Ratliff and Marques Tuiasosopo], five if you're counting Brad Smith, who has been getting a lot of reps. You're around each other all the time. We're all great friends, and they're a bunch of good guys to work with.
On Smith playing quarterback …
That's just a testament to Brad Smith's athletic ability and versatility. He's a great guy, great athlete and I know the coaches like him a lot. Take your hat off to him as a player. He makes some phenomenal catches out there and then comes in and gets some reps at quarterback and does a pretty good job in there. It's just jaw-dropping to watch him and see him do all of the things he can do.
On competing with Smith for the backup job …
Whether you're competing with one guy or four guys, it's all the same, we're still competing. It doesn't change much. You still go out there and try to do the best you can each day and it's all about making the team win.
CB JUSTIN MILLER
On supporting each teammate …
We always give positive feedback to each other each time we're out there. We just want to make some plays. You know, we're high-fiving, telling each other good job. Anytime anyone makes a play, we just have to keep it positive. We're all going to have our mistakes and mental lapses, but the main thing is we keep concentrating and keep pushing forward.
On rating camp each year …
I mean, you can't rate them. Each one is a learning experience. Each day you go out here, you learn and compete and you try to get better. My main focus is just to help this team. If we can get out there and win, we can all be successful, then I'll be more than happy.
On what's expected in camp …
Just learning and understand the game. Speaking with my coaches I try to get a better understanding of what's expected on the field. I think Jerome [Henderson] taught me a lot, and Jerome said I can just talk to him. We met, and Coach Mac [Mike MacIntyre] came in, we sat down and asked him questions, and how you feel on this and how you feel on that. It's a matter of going out there and just practicing and trying to put those things to work every day you're out there.
On what position will he'll play ...
I'm just out here to play, whichever way you look at it. I'm going to go out there and do my job when called upon. If I'm called upon to play corner,I'm going to do that if called upon. If I'm called upon to return [punts], I'm gonna do that. So whichever way is going to help this team win, I'm going to do it.
On benefiting from Darelle Revis' absence …
We're all given opportunities, and the best thing for us to do is to take advantage of them when they're given. I just come out here and work and get better. We drafted him high and we know he can play. I think he'll help us as well as anybody else on this team.
On being happy playing multiple positions …
It doesn't matter. It's fun. I enjoy playing the game. I don't think anybody would complain about it.
On a starting position on the defense …
I think every person wants to be a starter in their position, but you know that's the decision for the coaches. So I just want to practice and prove to my teammates I belong out here and deserve to play with them. My main goal is to get better and help this team win.
On distractions off the field …
I'm out here at training camp. This is football and that's how it is. You try not to concentrate on anything outside of that.We all have bad days, we all have days that are not going to go our way, where we're depressed or upset, and football itself takes us away from that pain. It helps us deal with life on a whole. You have guys around you to pick you up when you're down. They help you progress forward. I just try to stay positive and work each day I'm here.
On showing Chansi Stuckey the NFL ropes …
We were actually roommates in college, so I know him fairly well. We understand each other. It's just like I tell him all the time, just keep working each day, 'cause you never know when an opportunity might come. When the opportunity does come, just take advantage of it and just keep pushing forward.
G BRANDON MOORE
On this morning's practice …
It was long. It dragged on and on. There were some situations in there that we needed to handle. It was definitely a long practice.
On his contract …
I haven't said anything about my unhappiness with it. My agent handles that. I'm not here to discuss my contract.
On if he's unhappy with his contract …
Am I unhappy? Is anybody happy with their contract? I guess everybody feels they deserve a little bit more money. I'm just here in training camp and letting my agent handle those things.
On missing practice Tuesday …
I wasn't here for personal reasons. That's the story. There's nothing else I can really say about that.
On how training camp is going …
Camp is going good. I feel good. I wish you guys would come asking to talk to me about how good I'm playing.
On how he is playing …
I think I'm having a great camp. I feel good. I have a better grasp of the offense.
On his comfort level within the system …
I feel more comfortable, especially with Nick [Mangold] and AC [Anthony Clement]. That's my side. The communication I feel good about. I feel confident with us three.
K MIKE NUGENT
On whether kicking in the NFL is based more off talent or psychology …
At this level, you can get every kicker together on a day like today and everybody will be hitting balls like crazy. The difference is what you can do when it actually counts. The talent is unbelievable that you face and see every day, but when it all counts, that's when it makes the biggest difference.
On his busy off season …
I finished up school. I went back in the winter and had a couple of classes to go. This spring I had two-hour lectures on the phone twice a week. The teachers wanted me to go after it all the way.
On what his logistics management degree means …
Basically, how does anything get from here to there; shipping products and things like that. One of the biggest numbers I know is about 17 percent of the price of any product you see has to go into getting it from here to there. It's something you don't really think about when you go to Wal-Mart and buy something. You don't really think about how it gets there. It's fun learning stuff like that. It's one of those fields that is currently in the process, it's not very integrated yet. It could be worked on so much. It's a big money saver. You do things right here and there, you can save a company just a lot of money. That's probably one of the biggest operations we did.
On the difficulty of kicking in the Meadowlands …
Overall, I can't say a lot because I haven't kicked in a lot of stadiums. When the weather is hot in the Meadowlands, there won't be unbelievable wind but it will still be there. You won't have a day like today where it was pretty straight. It's never just dead straight this way. It's always picking up or dropping down on you. It's definitely up there, especially when we play in New England and Buffalo and places like that. It's one of the toughest I've played at.
