*Transcript of Jets head coach Eric Mangini's news conference after Wednesday's morning training camp practice:
*A couple of things today. Practice was a little bit different for us because we were working off the cards. It is important during the regular season — obviously everything is going to be off cards, the team learning how to practice off cards and the show team learning how to practice off cards. That process takes a little bit of time. That's why it went a little bit longer today.
The important thing for the guys that end up on the show team is to understand it's still the same training camp evaluation. I understand it's not the same defense. I understand it's not the same front. We're looking for the same types of things -- how you recognize blocks, how you play the coverages, how you block, and right down the line. So that evaluation shifts a little bit.
They'll get some reps doing our core stuff as well. It does shift here on days like today, and this is a very important part of the process. You never want to waste a carded play. It takes a long time to get to the point where that play actually shows up in practice. So we'll be doing some of that or a majority of that as well this afternoon. In addition, we do have some just Jets vs. Jets mixed into practice, like two-minute. There were a couple of specialty periods.
Another group I want to talk about today was a group from the Wounded Warrior Project that came to visit. The mission statement of the Wounded Warrior Project is to aid and empower our severely injured servicemen. This was one of the things that they do and there's so many different things that they do. It's just nice to have them visit and for us to take that chance to go over and say thank you for all that they're doing for us. It's nice to have them here, we enjoy having them here. We'll have a group out at one of our games as well.
On if he takes player soreness into account during practice…
I'm always open to change and adjusting, but we had the recovery day yesterday, so we didn't have practice. They had a chance to do a lot of things that really helps with getting soreness out, with moving lactic acid out and those types of things. During training camp, you're going to get more reps than you would during the normal course of a week, and soreness is part of it.
What is happening now is we're in that pattern where you have the preseason game, so there's not much done the day before the game. The games usually aren't full games for the first group, so that soreness tends to work its way out as we move forward.
On taking player suggestions for practice…
We always make adjustments. There are a lot of adjustments that have already been done here in camp this year. Looking at the regular-season schedule, there are some things that I'll do a little bit differently. With the group of veterans that we have, they've seen a lot of different programs and a lot of different approaches, so I'm curious to hear things that they have to say. Sometimes I agree, sometimes we have to agree to disagree, but I'm definitely open to it.
On Brett Favre saying his arm feels sore…
We only have two practices left before the game, and we do monitor that stuff. Like I said, I haven't talked to him since practice ended. You guys talked to him more than I did, so I don't really know where he is with that.
On Favre learning the offense…
There's a lot going in, there's a lot of things that he's able to associate with. It just doesn't roll off the tongue right now like I'm sure he'd like it to, but that's going to come. After you get used to being in a huddle, saying it a few times, going through the walkthrough, seeing it on tape, eventually it starts rolling off the tongue a lot quicker.
In terms of associating concepts and understanding what we're trying to get done, he's been very good at that. That's not really an issue. It's just translating it into this language. He's been speaking another language for a long time.
On Favre changing calls at the line…
I think it's always a good sign. The funny thing is, a lot of times when he looks like he's changing something and it's most obvious, it's when he's not, which is really good in terms of pressuring the defense. He'll come up and make some really demonstrative signal, and it's nothing. It's absolutely nothing. Our guys are screaming, "Alert this! Alert that!" It's just fluff.
On how long Favre will play Saturday…
I haven't finalized that. The ones will go longer than they did last game. Last game is a good example of what we talked about prior to the game. The reps, they didn't go 50/50 where the offense was on a certain amount of time and the defense was on a certain amount of time. They all got the same reps to where you could pull them in, maybe it's right at the end of the first quarter. The defense went a little bit longer just because their rep count hadn't been as great at that point.
It's a combination of reps, time and also the opponent, how long they have their first group in. Some of those things come into play as well.
On the second quarterback…
It'll be Kellen [Clemens].
On if getting Favre in a game situation will speed up his acclimation process…
I'm not really sure if that will necessarily speed it up. What you're trying to do is get him to the point where the plays that he's calling in that situation he is really comfortable with and the group is really comfortable with.
The tempo from the training camp to even preseason games is significantly different. It's a big jump, so you want to be comfortable with the plays that you're calling, as opposed to building a comfort level under those conditions. Now, once you call those plays in the game and have that experience, I think that just solidifies the plays that you have.
On if Favre will play more in the preseason than other veterans…
No, we'll follow the same pattern that we've had.
On Favre's comment that the Redskins game will be the most important of the preseason…
It all counts the same. I'm sure it's important in the sense that it's with a new team and it's a new experience. Everything is sort of a new experience for him. Whenever you're doing something that's different, it takes some time to get used to. But in terms of the significance of the actual game, these really all count the same.
On playing music…
Did you like it? You're not a big rap fan? I kind of like it [smiles].
On if he is pushing the envelope by playing music during Favre's reps…
I don't think it's pushing the envelope. It's really done for very specific purposes. When you're setting up the show team and it's silent, the defense is sitting over there and you can hear the guy holding up the cards going, "OK, well, this is 80 reach pass." If they get the fact that it's a pass and it's going to go to the left, the card loses the significance. You're trying to make them read, adjust, react.
On the flipside, you're in the offensive huddle, you're calling your play, the same guy is holding up the card, or the equivalent is holding up the card, and he's saying, "We're blitzing off the left side and we've got to do this and we've got to do that." It tips the hand. You want to see the reaction, not just totally stage it because at that point you might as well just walk through.
On if Favre is a fan of the rapper Lil' Wayne…
I don't think he's a huge Lil' Wayne guy, but he's open-minded. I'll talk to him about it, see what he thinks. We talked a little music the other day. I don't know how many guys are going to be big country fans, but we can adjust.
On when Shaun Ellis will return to practice…
I'm not sure of the exact timetable, but I don't think it's going to be leading into the season or anything like that. Some of that is precautionary, just to make sure everything is right before we bring him back out.
On Ellis' injury…
Hand.
On whether Ellis will play Saturday…
I'd give it an outside shot. I'd say it's outside.
On Favre in the hurryup offense…
It looked pretty good at the end. We only needed three, he got seven. That always helps.
