The humble Laveranues Coles is always dishing out proper thanks around the locker room for his personal success. Today, however, Coles let out some love for the man in charge of the offense, first year offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer.
"Whenever you have a coordinator that believes in you and gives you a chance to make plays, then it's up to you to try and execute and make the play," said Coles of Schottenheimer. "He gives you the opportunity to give some input, but when it hits that paper in ink, he wants it done just like the paper says to do it."
Read below for Coles' complete transcript
New York Jets' WR Laveranues Coles, 10.19
On following other receivers around the league…
Yeah, I follow the real good ones. Marvin Harrison, Terrell Owens, Hines Ward and Chad Johnson, those guys, the guys that everybody loves to watch and you hear their name all the time. I watch those guys.
On following Roy Williams…
No, guys like Tory Holt, the guys who have been around for a while and have been productive year after year. The guys in the league, who when you go to every team, guys respect them and whenever they step on the field guys are going to find where they are. Those are the guys I watch. You admire their game and what they bring to the table and what they do week-in and week-out.
On Williams' comments about Kevin Jones…
Whenever you get a guy who is confident on your football team, I truly believe that's what he truly feels. What a lot of people do is try and take that as locker room chalkboard talk and try to use it to motivate a team. It's just a comment, when you step on the field what he really believes doesn't matter, they still have to play the game. Whether Kevin Jones rushes for 100 and they win or they lose has yet to be seen. It's just a comment until the game is played.
On why some the NFL's biggest personalities are wide receivers…
At wideout you have to mentally stay in the game, because there can be five, six, seven, eight, or nine plays before you touch the ball again. Every time you walk back to the huddle that you haven't touched the ball you have to mentally tell yourself that. "I'm the best and that when I touch the ball, that something good is going to happen for this ball club." That has a lot to with it. The psyche of a receiver is different from any other player that's on the field. A running back is going to touch the ball a lot more then a wide receiver. When out wide, on an island, you have to have a certain swagger or confidence about yourself that whenever the ball comes to be that I'm going to make this play and when it doesn't come to you that I'm respected out here and they're taking me away. Guys are fun to watch and you see Chad Johnson, who is one of the main characters at the wide receiver position, I just look and laugh at it. He's one of the best at it and he goes out and talks about it, then goes out and does it. You have guys that are making the game fun, bring a lot of good media to themselves and the game and it's great for the game.
On if he sees himself in that group…
No, I haven't done enough in this game to even be compared (to them). I was looking at something the other night, where Tori Holt had surpassed someone as the youngest player to reach 10,000 yards or something like that. That there is just amazing in itself. The things those guys have done and the numbers that they've put up. Like Marvin Harrison what he has done with Peyton Manning over there with the Colts, all you can do is look at it and admire. Those guys are putting themselves, in my book, in the Hall of Fame already and they're still just touching the tip of the iceberg with their potential and the things that they can do in this league. When you start talking about those guys, neither me nor Roy has any business trying to put ourselves on the level with them.
On the fact that he and Roy Williams are the leading receivers in the NFL…
It's cool to be doing something for one year, but these guys have gone out and done it year after year. That's says a lot about them. Those numbers aren't going anywhere. Every year, they're going to step on the field and people are going to know where they are and you have a problem stopping those guys. You know where they're lining up, you know what they're doing and they're just productive year after year.
On having a career year this season…
To be honest, I've always felt that I was a decent receiver in the game. Sometimes it is about situations, systems and your coaches having faith in what you're doing and believing in what you're doing. I've been fortunate to have a great offensive coordinator who believes in me and has given me an opportunity to make plays. Whenever you have a coordinator that believes in you and gives you a chance to make plays, then it's up to you to try and execute and make the play. It's still the beginning of the year and you have guys like Steve Smith and Tory Holt who always find a way to come storming back. You enjoy it when you're doing well in the beginning, but those guys will be back full steam towards the end of the year.
On the Lions' defense struggling against the pass…
When you watch them on film, they fly to the ball, they have great corners. The numbers kind of lie to you about what has been going on because if you watch them, they're playing really well. Once they finish some plays, then they're right there. They're one of those teams that if they are finishing, just like us, then their record would be a lot better. It's just a matter of time before that comes and you just hope it doesn't come against you.
On offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer's creativity…
He (Coach Schottenheimer) puts a lot of time, work and effort into everything he does. With him having confidence in what he's doing, it's all spinning down towards us because we believe in what he's doing also. The vision that he has, we just try to see along with him. He's not one of those coordinators that feel like he has to do it all alone, he takes some input from the other coaches. If he sees something out there that we might be able to tweak a little bit, then he's not afraid to come ask the players.
On the offense feeling like playground ball…
Oh no, he doesn't allow the playground stuff. He wants everything done specifically how he said it. He gives you the opportunity to give some input, but when it hits that paper in ink, he wants it done just like the paper says to do it.
On thinking he would be an elite receiver when he came into the league…
Truthfully? I thought if I was starting for a team then my team must really be sorry. That's the truth, to be honest, when I came in, I wasn't brought in to be a wide receiver, I was brought in to be a kick returner. Coach Parcells told me, "you're not coming in here to replace Keyshawn, you're coming in here to return kicks and play special teams." So for everything to happen and for things to fall into place to allow me to become a starting receiver in the NFL, I'm just excited about it.
