Coach Mangini
Just a couple of weeks prior to the 2006 NFL Draft, the New York Jets singed unrestricted free agent offensive lineman Trey Teague. Then on draft day, the Green & White selected Ohio State center Nick Mangold with their second first round selection (#29 overall). The two were expected to battle it out for the starting center position up front, but Teague has yet to take the field after suffering an ankle injury in the summer while Mangold quietly has had a productive rookie campaign.
"When you're not hearing their name called very often, that usually means good things, and Nick's name isn't called that often," said first-year head coach Eric Mangini of Mangold. "There are things, like with every rookie, that he's getting used to and looks that he's seeing, but he's doing a really good job with coming up, identifying the fronts, understanding what those fronts mean, and understanding how the whole offensive line fits based on that front."
In this weekend's match-up with Cleveland, the Jets 6'4", 300-pound center will line up against Ted Washington. Now in his 16th pro season, the 6'5", 365-pound Washington should provide a nice benchmark for Mangold.
"It's definitely a big challenge. Ted is a very good player, a very experienced player," said Mangini. "He has got great power and great size. He understands blocking schemes, and it's just like the obstacles that D'Brickashaw faces each week; he's a different style of pass rusher."
*Read below for Mangini's complete press conference transcript *
New York Jets' Head Coach Eric Mangini, 10.26
Opening statement…
Today, it's third down. That's a big point of emphasis. We'll clean up the things that we had yesterday.
I thought the effort level yesterday was sound, and guys are working hard. One of the things I like is that they're running in between the drills, so as the offense is going and the defensive look team is out there, the guys that aren't in are getting some extra conditioning, and I think that will be important to us as the year goes on, maintaining that level and improving that level week in and week out.
A guy that I'm continually impressed with is Jerricho (Cotchery). He's a guy who really made his way as a special teams player and then slowly developed, got a few more opportunities, and then this year got some opportunities, and he really took advantage of them at training camp. Now that he's playing quite a bit more, he continues to take advantage of those opportunities and, create more. And his run blocking has been outstanding, his run after the catch, his toughness, his approach, his professionalism. I'm just really happy with the way he's developed.
On the progress of Nick Mangold…
Yeah, I think you want that with any rookie. When you're not hearing their name called very often, that usually means good things, and Nick's name isn't called that often. There are things, like with every rookie, that he's getting used to and looks that he's seeing, but he's doing a really good job with coming up, identifying the fronts, understanding what those fronts mean, understanding how the whole offensive line fits based on that front. He played a lot of football in college. He's been a starter for a long time, and he's really done a good job with that role here.
On the challenge Mangold faces with Ted Washington…
It's definitely a big challenge. Ted is a very good player, very experienced player. He's got great power, great size, understands blocking schemes, and it's just like the obstacles that D'Brickashaw faces each week; he's a different style of pass rusher. Usually they're pretty good, and Nick's in the same situation, a different style of player, and this is one that he'll have to adjust to and adapt to. But he's gotten that look quite a bit in camp.
On if Mangold will face that challenge alone…
There will be different things that we can do to all share the load.
On Mangold becoming more versatile to the offense…
Any time that we've asked him to do something new, he's handled it well, and he has really worked at understanding how that new role works. If he doesn't understand something, he works with Tony or he talks to Pete or Brandon or whoever it is. And he's worked some at guard, so he's got that flexibility, as well. I'm pleased with his progress.
On using defensive film to teach the offense and defense techniques that work…
I think that any time you face a team that runs a similar system, there are some things that you can teach off of both ways. So when I am showing the offensive side of the ball, you could make a similar coaching point and explain how it applies to the flipside.
On what Mangini expects from the Brown's offensively…
I think that the system will remain pretty much intact. There may be some new plays mixed in, but that's true every week with an offense. There are new plays. The difference is when you have someone who hasn't called the plays who's now calling plays, each coordinator has a fingerprint, and the fingerprint changes, so you have to adjust a little bit and understand the flow of the game.
On Mangini being familiar with the Browns' offensive system…
It definitely plays a part in it because the way you may approach it in one area is different in the other area because of the types of guys you have running the routes or running the ball or blocking. So there will be similarities, but there's also built-in differences based on personnel.
On what role Mangold would have played if Trey Teague had not been injured…
It was an open competition, so they would have competed. Trey is a good player and Trey has done some good things throughout his career, and it would have been fun to watch.
On if Mangini senses a boost in the team's confidence at practice…
It's more of using the same exact approach as last week and the week before and the week before that and fighting human nature, to gloss over the problems and not have the same consistent approach. Whether we win two, lose two, win five, lose five, it'll always be exactly the same approach because that game is so unique, that situation is so unique. And if you have a consistent approach and it's a consistent, well-disciplined, hard-working approach, that's where we'll be successful week in and week out.
On the Jets' success on the road…
It comes back to the focus we've talked about for a long time, where there's going to be adversity throughout the season, injuries, whatever the case may be, in games, penalties, turnovers, whatever we face, momentum changes, and understanding that when that does take place, you deal with it, you fix the problem and you move on to the next play and not get caught up with what happened two plays ago or three plays ago or even one play ago; just focus on the next play because it's the most important play.
On using an extended bye-week as a carrot to dangle, or incentive to win Sunday…
I think there are always carrots out there. I don't know necessarily which one will be dangled at this point. But that carrot from last week was really the result of several weeks of hard work, several weeks of a consistent approach, and they earned it. When the opportunity was there they capitalized on it. They created it and they capitalized on it.
On the video technology the coaching staff utilizes…
Steve Scarnecchia is the head of our video department, and one of the reasons that I hired him- I worked with him at the other place- is that he's another guy that's always trying to stay ahead of the curve. He does a great job with constantly researching what's the latest technology, whether it's the latest technology in how to film practice or the latest technology in how to cut up practice or games, or how to get the information to the players. He's been helpful in terms of acquiring clips that we can teach off of. He's done a great job with that and he's constantly bringing ideas that we incorporate to help the players.
On having an open mind to new technology..
I am definitely very open to anything with technology. I think there is so much of that in terms of video games and things that players grow up with and different ways that you can get them the information. The more ways that you can get it to hit their brains, the better off we all are.
On this year's schedule…
Well, I think we just line up and play whoever is there, and that's the approach that we're going to take. It's not going to deviate, so I don't know if I can really give you a lot of insight on that.
On having a bye week in the exact middle of the season…
The break is nice whenever you get it. I've been a part of a team where it's been early in the season, and that's not all bad because sometimes you have some injuries coming off of training camp. Training camp is usually a pretty hard time for everybody involved. It's also been on the back end, which is nice sometimes, too, for the same reasons- injuries, heal up bodies, get the bumps and bruises taken care of. So whenever you get that slot it's really positive.
On if Mangini has noticed a lack of chatter on his age with the team playing well…
I haven't really looked at it that way. I think the age issue is one that's going to be here until I get older. To me the important thing is trying to give the guys a good plan, whether it's as the young guy DB coach, or at Cleveland, the one place where I was the old guy.
On the importance of getting off to a quick start…
It was more important to get off to a fast start just to get off to a fast start. It wasn't to quash the age things. There was actually some funny age references, I thought. I don't know who had them, but put a sandbox in the facility, that was one of my favorites; the only head coach that needed balloons at his birthday party, that was a good one; with all the work these guys are doing, how are they possibly going to get their homework done. That's good stuff.
On if Mangini considers this season's success a fast start…
No, I consider this to be just the progression, and really for us it's always going to be wins and progress. I think there has been some progress made and we need to continue to build on it, and not just in terms of the games but in terms of the preparation, practice, the whole process leading up to the games.
On Kellen Winslow…
He's explosive. He runs like a wide receiver, he catches the ball really well, whether it's in traffic, or it's in space. He's got good run after the catch. All those qualities that you saw in college which were a little bit sidetracked by the delay that he had with the injuries, they're there. He's extremely competitive in routes, out routes, so all those things are helping him. Obviously you can see it in terms of the production and him leading the league in receptions for a tight end.
On the progress of David Barrett…
He's made some progress and he did some work yesterday. With that, there's been other weeks, too, where we've made some progress and later in the week it kind of flared up again. He is making progress, and I think depending on how it goes today and tomorrow and if there's no setbacks, that he has a good opportunity. I just want to couch that with what has happened in previous weeks.
On the progress of Cedric Houston…
He's in a very similar situation. Trey Teague is also in that situation.
On where Curtis Martin is at as far as returning to the team…
There is no change right now. That will be something that we'll talk about post-Cleveland.
On when Martin will have to be listed on the injury report…
He doesn't actually become a member of the 53-man roster, he's just able to practice at that point. Then if you want to put him on the 53, you have to make a move, cut somebody, elevate him. But prior to that he does not count on the 53-man roster.
Thursday Injury ReportJets
Questionable: FB B.J. Askew (foot), CB David Barrett (hip), WR Laveranues Coles (calf), WR Tim Dwight (thigh), RB Cedric Houston (knee), & OL Trey Teague (ankle)
Probable:*RB Kevan Barlow (calf), *LB Matt Chatham (foot), *T Anthony Clement (back), *DE Shaun Ellis (back), *DL Bobby Hamilton (knee), *LB Brad Kassell (thigh), *OL Pete Kendall (thigh), *CB Justin Miller (hip), *QB Chad Pennington (calf), *S Kerry Rhodes (thigh), *DL Dewayne Robertson (hand), *WR Brad Smith (thigh) & *DL Kimo von Oelhoffen (knee)
Browns
Questionable:CB Leigh Bodden (ankle), *S Justin Hamilton (ankle), WR Dennis Northcutt (ribs), *S Brodney Pool (hamstring), S Brian Russell (ankle), T Ryan Tucker (illness), FB Lawrence Vickers (elbow), *TE Kellen Winslow (knee)
