Transcript of quarterback Mark Sanchez's late-morning news conference following the Jets' Thursday training camp practice at SUNY Cortland:
On closing camp at SUNY Cortland…
Overall, a lot of positive feelings about camp. We're really excited to break camp, get home and get back to our facility, but we can't thank SUNY Cortland enough. The people around town have been great. The fans came out to practice. On the field, the football side of it, I think it was the best camp I've been a part of. We had plenty of individual time with our coaches to really work on some specific fundamentals that each coach wanted to target their players with. I think when we got into our team settings, it was very competitive. That is what Rex [Ryan] wanted. I think we grew a lot as a team, on and off the field. Overall, it was a great experience and it will help us during the season.
On installing the new offense at camp.…
It went well. Some days were obviously better than others, but overall probably my most consistent camp. My least amount of turnovers by far, I'm sure. I thought the running game looked good. I felt comfortable with my checks and throwing the ball down the field. I thought my accuracy was there and receivers made great plays. Dustin [Keller] really stood out to me and had a great camp. Now, it's a matter of getting guys healthy and moving on. Overall, I think we all did well.
On improving with the installment of the new offense at camp…
I think mastering the calls and really speaking the language has been huge for us. We kind of turned the corner midway through camp when guys were really starting to understand the language, speak it back to Coach Sparano and understand what he was getting at in our meetings. He has always made sure to show us good plays and bad plays each day. It's not like he's yelling at us all the time.
Unfortunately, some days there were more bad plays than good plays. We hit that point in camp where I think we started to realize that he's yelling for us and not at us. He's not talking down to us. We're all in this thing together. He really harped on picking up the speed and tempo. I think we did that. He really preaches having efficient plays and I think we started to come around there too. Overall, it was just a great camp. I'm excited about our progress and potential as a team.
On how he feels about his play right now…
I feel good. We'll see. It all has to translate onto the field during the season. That's the most important thing, but it was definitely our best camp by far.
On the expectation in the locker room that he will become an elite quarterback this year…
That's nothing new around here. Each year, as a quarterback in any organization, you have to get better and learn from your mistakes the previous year. One of the big things to come back from last year was the turnovers. Coach Sparano puts me in a good position. He's making sure he pushes Coach Sanjay [Lal] to get guys open to give me an outlet and we're really pushing the guys up front to protect and give me time to throw. It's my job to deliver it and be the trigger-man that this team needs and I'm ready to do that. I'm excited about this team and our potential.
On if he thinks he can be one of the 10 best quarterbacks in the NFL…
Sure, you have to think that. You have to play like that and as soon as you get on the field, you have to be the baddest guy out there. The toughest, the best, the most accurate and you have to want to win. I think we have a lot of guys like that, so that's good for us.
On the improvement in his demeanor on the field…
I think a lot of it just comes with experience. Being in those situations before, you know when you throw an interception in camp, you have to practice what you're going to do during the season. If you start pouting and putting your head down during practice, it's going to happen at MetLife Stadium or somewhere else on the road. If you look away, gather yourself for a couple seconds, come right back, inspire the guys in the huddle, let them know you've made a mistake and move on, that will be the habit. That's what I try to do.
I think anticipating those dog days of camp, I was really proud of doing that because you compete with those dog days with your energy and show guys you can't take days off. I really made it a point to do that this year. When you come back from your first preseason game, everybody kind of has one foot out the door. You have to reel them back in and you really do that with your energy, poise and excitement. I think that's where I've really grown.
On if he has called a meeting individually with the offense…
We do, at different points, different guys, and that's good for us. It's not always just one person. One of the things I felt more comfortable doing, especially with the young wide-out group was getting on those guys and letting them know that when you come in the huddle, and I'm not being selfish here, that this is my huddle. Don't talk, get in your position quickly and get lined up because there are a lot of things I need to go through to put us in the right position to be successful and Coach is expecting me to do that. So if you're not on task, I'm going to get yelled at. I'm going to be standing there holding the ball.
I really made that point to those guys and now they take it personal. That takes a little bit of leadership. That takes a little bit of experience and it's not the easiest thing to do. It's not necessarily in my genetic makeup to start yelling at guys, but there's a time and a place to give somebody a hug, to jump up and give him a chest bump and high-five and there are other times where you have to get on guys. You have to find the right way to reach different people. I think I'm navigating that a lot better now.
On getting reps with Santonio Holmes at practice…
We need to get reps together. Obviously, his health is most important, but at the same time we're in a race against time here and this Buffalo game is creeping up on us. It's getting closer and closer, so the more we can get out of Tone, the better. All reports have said he's working hard and trying to get back as soon as possible. That's not an easy injury, but it's important for those other guys to elevate their games and pick up the slack. We have to go with what we have.
On if he looks at Eli Manning's demeanor and how he doesn't show emotion …
That's debatable. I think he does a great job with his emotions, but the funny thing is, and it's sort of tongue-in-cheek, but it's kind of the way it works, if you win the Super Bowl and rip your helmet off and throw it on the sidelines, no one is really going to say anything. You get that pass. But if you go 8-8, get mad and show a little emotion on TV, people are going to say, "Oh, he's a head case." That's kind of the way it works and he deserves that, but it's natural to have a little bit of emotion out there. I'm not a robot, but the most important thing is to try and stay consistent with that stuff and really work on it. I think I had good practice with it in Cortland.
On Darrelle Revis saying "If we win, it's on him, if we lose it's on him"…
That's a veteran comment all the way and he knows that. Coming into my fourth year, it's conveying that to some of these young guys. Don't forget, Coach Sparano makes a great point to me all the time. He says, "You, Rex and myself, when you Google our names, we're the only ones with records. Darrelle Revis is one of the best cornerbacks ever, but he doesn't have a win-loss record." It's no slight on Darrelle, it's just the position you play. I appreciate that comment from Darrelle, but it's not an oh-woe-is-me comment, either, we have to go win. That's what we're in, we're in a winning business.
On getting reps as a field goal holder on Wednesday…
It was a pretty good hold, a good snap and a good kick, laces out, slight tilt [smiling]. They made the field goals. I think we were 100 percent, so I'm feeling good about it.
On if he has held on field goal kicks before…
I've done it, not here. Maybe I did it my rookie year just messing around, but I think they were just looking for a backup holder. I'll put that on the résumé.
