8/4/08 Training Camp Practice Photos
Transcripts of more selected player interviews with Jets beat reporters after Tuesday's training camp practice:
OL DAMIEN WOODY
On managing his weight and how his experience at Duke University helped…
That's a lifestyle. It's a situation as far as who you are and what your efficiencies are as a person. It was a great experience. It's something that is going to carry over for the rest of my life. It's not just something you work on during football season. It's something you have to work on every day, so that is the thing that I really took from it and it's continuing every day. Even during training camp it's something that I just continue to work at.
On if it's tough right now to keep on managing your weight…
For me, it's all about watching what you put into your mouth and just getting a little bit of extra work in. It doesn't have to be strenuous. You just need to get a little extra and really that's all that matters and that's all you have to do. That is what I do after every practice. No matter how tired I am, I go out and do that. What I've found is it's going to pay off later in the season in November and December. That is when your joints and everything feel pretty good. I call that a second wind and that is where it really helps.
On if his time in New England seems like a lifetime ago…
When you have the experience I had in New England, you remember everything vividly. It was a great time but now I am here in New York. It's a whole different program. There are a lot of similarities with a whole different team. I am just trying to help this team win and win championships. At the end of the day, that is what it's all about. It's not about making the playoffs. It's about winning championships. I am just trying to help my team do whatever I can.
C NICK MANGOLD
On if he has forgotten about last year…
You forget about what happened, but you always remember your mistakes and what you need to correct to be good. It's just one of those things where you are going out there to play your best every week and see where that leads you.
On his thoughts of Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens…
I don't have time to worry about it. I have big Kris Jenkins across from me and that is plenty enough for me to worry about so I haven't had time to think about it, really.
On having Jenkins across from him…
I am hoping it will help out a lot because it's quite difficult and it makes every practice difficult. I am hoping that it does good things for the season.
QB CHAD PENNINGTON
On his thoughts on the upcoming game…
We are excited. I think as veterans, once the preseason rolls around, you know that the dog days of training camp are slowly winding down. We start to get into more of a gameweek type schedule, some game-type atmospheres and game-type situations. We are excited to try to take what we have learned and practiced on the practice field and take it and apply it in a game situation.
On if he is hoping he gets to start…
I'm really not worried about it. I'm excited to play and get back under the lights and try to build on the progress that I've made so far. I feel very good about where I am as a quarterback right now and the progress I've made. I feel like I've taken some steps to really become better and to help us win. I am excited about it.
On how many snaps he expects to receive…
I don't know. You guys are history buffs. Based upon our past experiences with Coach, we know we have no clue what's going to happen, who's going to start. We are on a need-to-know basis and we don't need to know right now [laughter].
On when he thinks he'll find out…
Normally, based from my past experiences, it has been the night before the game, when we have quarterback meetings that night, so we'll find out then.
On if he attaches any significance to who will be named the starter Thursday…
Not really because you still need to be evaluated and you still have to go out there and perform and take it one play at a time, and so whatever happens, happens.
On if he hopes to have the same number of first-team reps as Kellen Clemens in the preseason…
I think you have to give Coach Mangini credit as far as being fair. Since day one, since he has been here in '06, he's about treating everybody fairly and everybody the same and making sure everybody has an opportunity to prove their worth. I don't worry about that because his past behavior has shown that he is going to give everybody an opportunity to show what they can do.
On if he looks at this first game as the first true measure regarding the competition…
No, we've been competing for quite some time and it's a body of work. It started way back in the spring. It's going to be an overall evaluation and I don't know how games are weighted but they evaluate everything we do, whether it's in the classroom, out here on the field, 1-on-1s, routes versus air, everything. If it's on film or they can film it, Coach evaluates it so it is all put into the equation.
On the tight ends…
We're excited. We feel like we have a very good group of tight ends that, number one, are hard workers, they work extremely hard, and, number two, are very versatile. We have a lot of guys that bring a lot of different qualities and traits to our football team that can help us win with all their possibilities and abilities.
On whether Chris Baker is rusty…
I think he is doing a good job. I think he did a great job when he started practicing again. He will be ready to go, practice in full pads and do everything he needs to do to get ready to play.
On the benefits of continuity on the offensive line…
I think that's always the starting point with offensive football — the offensive line on how they communicate, how they jell together, as skill players, quarterbacks, receivers, running backs and tight ends, how we communicate and jell with our offensive line. That is the building block and that is the foundation. That is why you have to take care of those guys, because they take care of you.
Our guys have done a really good job of learning each other and learning how to communicate with each other. It's still going to be a process and it's still going to take some time. We will keep working some things out and I am sure each game situation, we'll be presented with something new and we'll be learning each week making sure we correct everything and get better.
On if he is looking to win Thursday…
Anytime you keep score as a team, you want to win. If you're not playing, you want to be cheering your teammates on. You want to be out there helping the young guys, helping those guys make adjustments on the sideline, helping them feel as comfortable as they can in their first preseason action. It's definitely a team effort and when they keep score, you want to win.
On what he is looking for at this stage of his career…
I do have a body of work out there already, but I think from my own personal standpoint, I'm looking for myself to take the next step to be an upper-echelon quarterback, to start to do some things that set me apart from how I was in the past. I think that is always important.
I don't think you ever stay the same. You are either getting better or you are getting worse, period. With a true competition, I think they know what my body of work is, but at the same time, their attitude toward the situation is it's about now, it's not about the past.
On his goals…
Being more consistent with down-the-field throws. I have prided myself on good decision-making and I just want to continue to be a good decision maker and be a better down-the-field thrower, be more consistent at that and win football games. I learned a long time ago as a quarterback you have two jobs. One is to get your team in the end zone. The other is to win. Those are your two responsibilities.
On if he is pleased with training camp thus far…
I feel good about training camp. I feel like I came in here with a purpose and I am concentrating on that purpose every day. I will pick something out each day to really come out here and focus on individually to get better at and add that to the rest of my game so I can become a more complete quarterback.
That is what you are always trying to do as a professional. You may have the basics down but you are trying to hone the fine details and the skills necessary to take it to the next level.
On if the competition has made him concentrate more…
I would say it adds an edge to your approach. When I am competitive, I am my worst and hardest critic so I don't need motivation to continue to get better. But at the same time, with the competition it is different.
Simply said, it is different when you are competing and you have a true competition compared to when you are named the starter. It's a little different but your approach shouldn't change. You just understand that your surroundings are different. You're not different but your surroundings are certainly different.
