Transcript of Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez's informal news conference following Thursday's morning training camp practice:
On if he is ready to break camp…
Yes. I think it's time. I think the guys on the drive back up, they love being in Cortland, but it's time. Once you play another team, you're ready to move on. This is our last night up here. We have some rookie skits, some fun stuff and it will be a good way to break camp. Break the rookies in a little bit. It will be nice.
On how he feels at the end of his second training camp…
Confidence wise, I feel so much better in the huddle. I feel like I'm in command of the offense and knowing the situation. Play calls just roll off my tongue. I'm speaking the language with Schotty [Brian Schottenheimer] in between plays, and that really helps. It helps our chemistry on offense and I feel it's grown this entire camp. A lot smoother camp this year, which is nice.
On how he has grown as a leader…
I've learned from a lot of the guys we picked up this offseason. LT [LaDainian Tomlinson], Jason Taylor, guys who have been around for such a long time. You can really learn from them. You watch them, how they do their interviews, how do they talk to their teammates and address their coaches, and how do they battle back after a tough day, after a bad play. These guys are pros and they've done it for a long time, so it's been great to learn from them, especially a guy like [Mark] Brunell. He can take your mind away from a bad play instantly with a joke, just smiling and making fun of you, and you move on. It's been a great process, trying to mature and grow up and be the leader that this team needs. I'm excited about it and it's a challenge every day, so it's good for me.
On Mark Brunell not wanting Sanchez to date his daughter…
It's been an ongoing joke. Whenever he shows pictures of his kids, he'll show everybody else his daughter but he won't show me. It's an ongoing joke, but I'm too busy for that [laughs].
On what it has been like in Cortland…
This is like our home away from home. We love having camp here. You can see the fans here are so gracious. They're out here cheering no matter what - rain, shine, heat, humidity – they love it, and we love having them here. It's nice to get upstate, get away from everything, really bond with the team, and that's what this whole process is about. It's trying to figure out what type of team we have in 2010. I think we're going to be good and Cortland's always here to help us. We appreciate them.
On if the hectic travel schedule this week is good preparation for the regular season…
It's a good way to simulate distractions during the season. It's a good way for us to really test our mental focus and our toughness. Physically and mentally, when you travel that much, when you fly around so much, it's good for us. We'll see how we do on Saturday night and we'll be ready for Carolina.
On trying to duplicate last season's success…
[Losing in the AFC Championship Game], I think it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. You want, as competitors, to get back there and even farther and prove that we're a better team this year. We're a team that can make that next jump. We know that everyone has to be accountable to do that. I think the most important thing is to remember that you don't start off in the AFC Championship Game. Everybody starts with a clean slate, 0-0, you have to earn the playoffs. We have a lot of work to do, a lot to prove, and we're ready for that challenge.
On how having checkdown options in the backfield makes his job easier…
It's a part of that maturation process. It is learning how to check it down and seeing how much success you can have. It helps you learn that a little faster. It's always been a struggle for me because I want to throw it down the field. I love making big plays, but it's making big plays at the right time and sometimes those check-downs can be the big plays for us. I mean, we converted a third-and-13 in the red zone to LT on a five-yard route. It's so easy that sometimes you forget it's that easy. When it happens like that in the works, you see it on film, you get the praise for it and everybody's excited about it. It's easier to do it again. These backs know when to get out. They know when to stay in and protect, so it's making things a lot easier on me. Having that ability to dump it to a back and let him gain yards is nice.
On forcing a pass and throwing an interception at the goal line…
The one today was just a bad ball. [Tomlinson] was getting out of the backfield early, so I wasn't really in checkdown. He was my first progression, and I stayed on him too long. That was my thought. He ran a good route, and that just can't happen in the red zone. Being able to check it down is going to be nice for us and I need to do that as much as possible.
On the biggest difference between camp this year and last year…
I think just being more comfortable with the system and with the play calls. I think having guys back, hearing my voice again in the huddle, one more year has helped our chemistry. I knew what was going on coming into camp. I had an idea of what the schedule would be like. That makes things easier. When you're going to sleep at night, you're not thinking about a thousand things. You're just thinking about the next day's practice. How you can improve, the corrections from that day, and I think last year, my head was spinning 100 miles per hour. It was nice to get some good days in against our defense this year, instead of last year where they just dominated. It was a competitive camp and that's what we wanted. I felt more comfortable.
On what spot in Cortland he will miss most…
To be honest, the campus, and the food here. Last year was great. This time is 10 times better. I didn't know it was going to be this nice. The fields are perfect. The conditions were great. I mean, one rainy day. We'll take that any year. The food, from Hairy Tony's to Pudgie's Pizza, all those places. The nice ladies at Taco Bell gave me a Taco Bell hat [laughter], so I was really excited about that, and Bart [Scott] was really excited about that. This place is awesome. We love being here. We can't wait to be here next year.
On if Tomlinson's pass-catching abilities expand the team's playbook…
I think they've always been in. When you're a stubborn rookie and trying to make plays down-the-field and forcing things, you don't get a chance to see that. The coaches did a study. They looked up the top five offenses in the last six years. Every offense with a back that had more than 40 — the average was 35-ish — it was the Colts, the Patriots, the Saints, the Vikings. All the quarterbacks had a back with 40-plus catches. That was the cut-off. Leon [Washington] was our leader last year with like 15. For a rookie, that's acceptable, but in your second year, unacceptable.
It really opened it up to me. They're getting screen passes in there the first progression sometimes, but a lot of those, the bulk of those, are check-downs. You just give him a chance and space, it really gives you the opportunity to convert on drives, to get a great third-down percentage and help your completion percentage and you can be one of those offenses. That's going to be a key part to our success.
On if having Tomlinson in preseason helps with his timing…
Absolutely. He's in on so many reps with me during practice. I thought they've managed that really well. Shonn [Greene], LT, getting Joe [McKnight] mixed in there, Chauncey [Washington], all the guys. Giving them reps, giving them opportunities to develop chemistry. It's been nice.
On Tomlinson's experience…
He talks to me and he talks to the other backs, so we're always on the same page. He's so smart when it comes to option routes, when it comes to knowing when to get out, on protection. Sometimes you have two backs protecting, but if they get everybody out of there it's their job to recognize that right away, help you get out, not block anybody anymore because the linemen have it taken care of. They give you two more options in your progressions. LT knows when to do that probably the best, out of our backs, just from his experience. He's really helping those guys, so they've come a long way. Shonn Greene is doing just as well. It's very nice.
On how much he's going to play against the Carolina Panthers…
I'm not sure. I know Rex said something about flip-flopping the first and second game. They didn't tell me last game until the day of the game that, "You're probably going to go until halftime." I'll play as long as they want. I love getting in there, love getting comfortable again. It's just a matter of feeling good. I definitely felt good. My knee felt great. I'll play as long as I can.
On the biggest team accomplishment at training camp…
Tonight will be the culmination of that. I think a lot of people can see, especially with Hard Knocks going on, how close our team is. How much fun we have. How serious we are when it's time to get to work. How important we know our goals are. How focused we are when we get on-the-field. Off-the-field, I felt we've grown as friends, as teammates, as a family that transcend football. We don't want to be just football players that show up to work. We show up for fun. We show up to have a really good time and hopefully win. I think that off the field has been some of our biggest improvements. On the field, that will speak for itself when the season starts.
On being frustrated on "Hard Knocks"…
Every other camp there won't be cameras there. That's your chance to vent and get everything out. It's important you do that with your coaches, on your own. You don't want to do that in front of your team. Just like on Monday night. I throw the first pass of the year, and the thing's like a boomerang coming right back at me. Here goes the DB [Antrel Rolle] running for a touchdown. It's one of those things, "All right, just let it go." I'll have a chance later on, in the hotel, in my house, to think about it and be upset.
That's what Coach Cavanaugh [QBs coach Matt Cavanaugh] was talking about. Having that game face on no matter what. You throw five picks, five touchdowns, you have to be the same guy. You got to lead, you got to be positive. You can't show it. It can't ever get you. That's what he was getting at. Taking criticism, having a bad practice, and keeping the same game face, mentally tough.
On what he saw watching Monday's interception on video…
A bit of a force. I hung on LT a little too long. The ball wasn't great, and it got tipped up in the air. You throw balls over the middle like that and they get tipped up. You cross your fingers and say your prayers, because that thing is probably going to get intercepted.
On if there is a sense of relief that the Cortland training camp is over…
This is just a big jump. Once we break camp, it's time to go. We've done our learning. We've grown up as a team and come closer together. Our chemistry is there, now it's time to go. Really get serious and focused when we're all not in the same area. To be able to eliminate distractions off-the-field, and really focus on when we get in the facility.
On his progressions…
There's a fine line. I think I just held on a tick too long. The ball wasn't great. That's the kind of stuff that can happen when you hang too long. It's okay to eliminate. At the same time, you want to make sure you make them take number one away. It's a fine line. I'm learning how to navigate through that, and I'll be better with it.
On the working with receivers out west…
Just Santonio [Holmes] alone, coming out there, because during OTAs, I couldn't hit Holmes to save my life. We were just off. Sometimes that happens. Just those extra throws we got. Dustin [Keller] had one of the best camps of anybody on offense. The guy was unbelievable. Laying out for catches, going down low. This guy is sweet. He was out there. J-Co [Jerricho Cotchery] was out there. We've always been great. He's one of those guys that I naturally gravitated towards, and been on the same page with. All camp, having Braylon [Edwards] getting pushed by Jerricho, Santonio, and Dustin having such great camps. He's had to really pick things up and play well, and he has. It's been good. I could definitely see that camp out west really helped us.
On the having Tomlinson coming out of the backfield…
We lost that when Leon went down. It does make a huge difference. It makes it easy on the quarterback. These defenses get paid too. These guys are pretty good. Sometimes you just got to say uncle. Dump it to your back, and see what they got. Whether they make a first down or not. It's a completion, a positive play. Help us convert some of those third-downs. It's a tremendous luxury.
On if he feels like he's saying uncle when he checks it down…
Sometimes. I've always been in the school of thought I'd rather want to throw it downfield than have to hold myself back, than be someone that throws it underneath all the time, then have to figure it out when I throw it downfield. I like the way I am better than the other way around. It's good though. They'll make you right, and you just have to give them the ball.
