“Plays and Techniques” From JetsCamp
Read an article my last and final day at JetsCamp on August 12th. There are some great, unique, and exclusive interviews that I conducted with a variety of offensive linemen on the Jets. The players that I interviewed for this article are rookie and undrafted free agent guard, Chris Stewart, offensive guard Matt Slauson, Pro Bowl center Nick Mangold, and one of the most underrated guards in the league, Brandon Moore.
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Individual Player Interviews:
Chris Stewart : @Chris_Stewart5 : On how camp is going so far… “It’s going well. It’s definitely tough just it being my first exposure to everything in the game, just getting up to speed, and everything. Normally, you’d have a few months, but it’s good. You just learn as much as you can and play full speed.”
Stewart : On what it’s like being undrafted in this unique offseason situation… “It was tough. Up until like three weeks ago, I had no idea where I was going to be. It’s definitely good to settle here with the Jets. It’s all about just doing what you can to help out the team, and doing what you can to make the team.”
Stewart : On the type of influence that Slauson has had… “Big time influence. Slauson, Moore, Mangold, Turner, all those guys… It’s a tough position to learn. The offensive line especially because you’re not just learning plays, you have techniques and other things. You have to get help from an older guy who knows it to get better at it each day.”
Stewart : On something that he really wants to work on in practice… “For me, probably getting the plays down and getting the techniques. Once I get that confidence too, but even if you’re not confident, you have to go full. It’s a fast-pace game, but I definitely want to get better too.”
Stewart : On what Coach Callahan like… “He’s a genius. He’s definitely one of the best technicians I have ever worked with. He’s a really good guy. He’s a really good coach. He’s a teacher. I just try to take in as much as I can from him teaching and take that to get prepared.”
Matt Slauson : [Thanks Ascent Sports for helping out] On how camp is going so far… “Camp is good. We are ready to start hitting other people though. I can’t wait to take it to Houston.”
Slauson : On his main focus during camp… “That would be to just hone my craft. Last year was just about surviving my first year starting and trying to figure out what to do. Now I want to play with perfect technique.”
Slauson : On what he thinks he improved the most during the offseason… “I would say I have gained a lot of strength since last year and I am much more comfortable at my spot. I have the offense totally down so we are going to be a much better oline this year.”
Slauson : On the type of role have he has with Chris Stewart… “I’ve been trying to help him as much as I can but he is a quick study. He’s picked up the offense really fast so I’ve just been helping him with footwork stuff.”
Slauson : On the motivation behind the eyeblack: “Haha. I didn’t have one. U thought I might look cool with it and it kind of just stuck. I don’t do it anymore though.”
Some Notes from Player Conferences:
Nick Mangold : @NickMangold : I asked him two questions what he has seen out of Chris Stewart… “He’s doing well. It’s tough learning it all as you go along. But all our guys are working hard, and that’s what we ask for.”
Mangold : On what his main focus is during camp… “Always to get better. Focus on the little things. Every day get better at something.”
Brandon Moore : On the role that he has had with Chris Stewart… “I’ve helped him with different things that I see that have come up. He may need correcting with. I don’t want to overload him by telling him too much which could cause confusion and hesitation. He has to balance all that and I understand that coming from where I was. I’ve helped him as much as I can. He’s got to go out and do it, and not try to think so much.”
Notes about the Jets’ Transactions:
The New York Jets moved G Brandon Moore from PUP to Active Roster.
The New York Jets waived/Injured C Taylor Boggs and waived LB David Herron.
Some Notes from Coach Ryan’s Conference:
Head Coach, Rex Ryan : I asked him what he thought on rookie offensive guard, Chris Stewart… “He keeps competing and all that and I know he’s a smart guy who picks up the offense well. He’s one of these guys who I’m excited to see. In these pre-season games, let’s see what he can do. He’s aggressive and that’s what I like. I like seeing those types of guys that are aggressive and get after it. I know he kicks himself. I was watching some of those line drills, and he expects to be right there with them. He’s pushing himself to be. He gets down on himself a little bit, but we’ll see. It will be a challenge this week, but we will see what happens.”
Ryan : On why they decided to use Jeremy Kerley as the starting kick returner and punt returner… “He’s the best one.”
Ryan : In a follow-up, on why Kerley was over Jim Leonhard… “I’m not going to have Jim do it, coming off the injury that he had. He wants to, but we drafted this young man to be a returner. He’s exactly what we thought we were getting. Westy [Mike Westhoff] really likes him and if Westy thinks he’s our best, then that’s what we’ll do. Jim Leonhard, I don’t think that’s good business right there.”
Some Notes about the practice today:
Darrelle Revis (@Revis24) was just being Revis. Another INT in practice.
There were a lot of dropped balls today. I remember one time counting four drops in a row.
Poor throws were made today from all the quarterbacks.
It seemed that the defensive line was getting after the offensive line. Pettine threw in a lot of unique blitzes today with some cornerbacks making plays in the backfield.
The team practiced their fourth down playbooks, the results were not that astonishing.
Michael Campbell (@MikeCam84) and Scotty McKnight (@SMcKnight21) had some nice plays today, they finished too.
Kenny Chesney was at practice today. I didn’t get to listen to him, but I did get a taste of Doug’s Fish Fry. They came all the way down from Cortland. That was awesome! Fried shrimp, clam strips, scallops, well… again. It was great!
Plaxico Burress Press Conference:
Plaxico Burress : @Plaxico : I didn’t ask him any questions, but I found these the most interesting… On working off-the-field with Mark Sanchez to develop chemistry… “I definitely think communication is very important between a quarterback and a receiver, not just playing on a football field, but being able to sit down and discuss looks, coverages, looking at film and different things like that. I think that we will continue to get better at it as the season goes on. We’ll take the time out to watch film by ourselves, just us two, and just try to get on the same page. That’s what I’ve been doing for a long time in my career, just sitting down with the quarterback on our free days, Tuesday, Friday, whatever those days may be, and take the time to build that relationship off the football field. For us, it just starts with little things like that.”
Burress : On whether sitting out of practice is frustrating… “Everybody knows I want to get on the field. I think you can just ask all of the guys, ask all of the coaches and the trainers, how hard I’m working in the classroom. The training staff is working relentlessly hard to get me back on the field. My time will come. I’ve waited a long time just to get where I’m at now. I’ve been through things like this before, and I’ve fared well from it and had success, but with this, it’s just a little soreness, a little irritation. If I can get out there and run on it full speed and cut down, I’m not worried about it at all.”
Burress : On percentage of his health right now… “It’s hard to say. Like I said, they know that I can go out there and probably get through a practice, but it’s just not smart to go out and go through a whole practice for two or three days, then miss a week or whatever because I’m not sure how it’s going to react. They’re not sure how it’s going to react, so we’re just playing it safe, and I think with the way we’re going about it, everybody will be happy.”
Pro Interviews 
I’d like an interview with Zane Taylor, please, on his prospects of making the team, his weight lifting, and if Kroul’s switch to OG impacts his making the team.
Thanks