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Here are a few notes I jotted down from the Rex Ryan press conference held after practice:
- Always likes to challenge guys mentally, to get them used to the speed of the NFL game compared to college.
- Had a few problems with defensive and offensive formations throughout the practice.
- Impressive group of offensive lineman, impressed with UDFA Clemson center Dalton Freeman.
- Liked the way Geno Smith threw the ball, "He can spin it"
- Zac Rogers stood out on the receivers team, "Caught a lot of balls", did a good job on Special Teams
- Sheldon RIchardson looked good, but doesn't want to put expectations too high
- Mason Robinson from Rutgers was playing some nickel. "coaches at Rutgers said nobody wanted to fight this guy".
- It was expected, but the team made a lot of mistakes. Rex said he needs to do a better job teaching.
- When asked what he looks for in Geno, Rex said he listens in the huddle and he gets the play out to his team well. Want to see the ball come out in a rhythm. Lots of things to get better, but for the most part did a nice job, accurate with the football.
- Happy to hear that Geno is already meeting with the offensive lineman. Saw Geno commanded the huddle well and that was very impressive.
- Asked if criticism was fair on Geno. Said the team go by what they see and what he did with their interviews. Which they were impressed with, if he didn't do things with other teams that doesn't effect Jets. Geno is a "Decent Kid".
- Sheldon Richardson played a little NT today, but the Jets in general move him around from the NT to the 3 technique and 5 technique. Saw his explosive nature and his love for football.
- In the Jets system, you take a good player and you'll get the most out of it. The System we run makes a good player a great one.
- "Can always slow them down, harder to speed them up" after Richardson said he was over-aggressive on some plays today.
- Quinton Coples needs to do a better job in the weight room, and if he doesn't improve he'll have to compete for his job like the rest.
- Rex said he obviously doesn't know what Diva behavior looks like as he certainly didn't do it here. Never saw it at all. Just loves football and knew his system well.
- Likes the way that Marty does things, very challenging to play his offense with the tempo.
- Mental side is huge with Dee Milliner, he's obviously a smart guy. Will ask him D-Line questions as well as D-Back questions and will keep firing questions at him to keep him sharp while he can't practice.
- Quarterbacks command respect. Geno needs to understand the offence better than everyone else. Could see he studied the West Virginia defense more and you could see how much he understood it. He has already been doing this in college.
- Quinton will have to cover someone in space, he has the length and athleticism doing that. He'll play outside and inside, will be used in multiple ways. Very sharp guy, and already got a good grasp of it. Most of the time he'll be going toward the quarterback but not always.
It was quite an interesting press conference for me. I'm glad I watched the whole thing to get the full context on his Coples criticism. We heard about his disappointment in his weight room effort yesterday from the national media, but I didn't hear them sweet how Ryan praised him for his athleticism and length and his smarts on picking up defensive packages, so was nice to see he mixed in some positives with the negative, and it did sound more motivational than critical.
Rex was really liking Rogers and what he could do and Mason Robinson from Rutgers. As well as praising Geno and Sheldon. Will be interesting to hear more on Oday and Brian Winters apart from generic offensive packages. Nobody mentioned William Campbell or Tommy Bohanon, I would have thought one of the reporters would have asked how Campbell did in his first practice moving to the offensive line since 2010, maybe that will come in tonight's.