Brian Schottenheimer Interview Transcript 8/8/11

On Monday New York Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer addressed the media.  Here is the transcript courtesy of the Jets.

On having two new recievers on the field for practice today…

I think we are really excited about it. Today was a big install so I am sure when Derrick (Mason) got here he was like, “Wow” because the guys have had a couple days to review. It will be great, (we’ll) just work (on) the timing but (also) getting them up to date with the system will be a lot of fun.

On any concerns he has about Mark Sanchez because of the three different receiving groups during his career…

I don’t think so. Obviously we are getting close. We are getting guys that have played. Mark’s going into year three. He is taking on more responsibility. But there’s no pressure. They are all pros and they are all working and we have plenty of time to get it all put in place.

On his relationship with Coach Tom Moore…

It has been great. He is definitely just a huge, huge bonus for me. Just to have guys like Tom to bounce ideas off of, to kind of brainstorm with, has been great. The first day we were laughing and I said “Hey coach, how many training camps has this been for you?” and he said “36.” I said “Coach, I am 37,” He started laughing a bit and he said in his own way, you will be alright. I said, “Well I am happy you’re here.” It’s going to be a great relationship, he’s a great sounding board, he will be able to do some great things for us, advancing some opponents. Again, we have a great staff and to add a guy like that who has been the best at his profession for 40-something years is just huge for me.

On if he took offense to having Moore brought in…

Absolutely not. Nope. Rex and I sat down and talked about it and we brought him in. We had some time during the lockout and we were doing research and stuff. When I found out that this was something he would be interested in, it was a no brainer.

On what he sees in FB John Conner so far in training camp…

John’s doing a good job. Again, second year in the system, that helps him be able to play a little bit faster. The first couple installs, because there was really no rookie camp and things like that, have been a little bit slower. We haven’t gone real fast, but with the information we’ve given, he’s done a great job. He and Anthony Lynn do a lot of work in the meeting room and stuff, and he’s doing great.

On dealing with the release of WR Jerricho Cotchery…

Jerricho’s one of my favorite guys I’ve ever coached. I love him. I love his family, but it’s part of the business. You get used to it. The longer you’re in the business you realize coaches come and go, and players come and go. We wish him nothing but the best, but I think it’s funny, because Jerricho leaves here, and Baltimore, they let Derrick Mason go. It’s unfortunately the business, and we’re thrilled to have Derrick here, and to have that addition of some experience, along with the guys we’ve already got.

On what he’s seen from WR Michael Campbell…

I’ll tell you what, he’s made a play a day, and he’s been doing a good job. He’s been working a lot with the third group, but he’s made a play a day. He’s really extremely fast. Whenever you see somebody show up on a big play down the field with his speed, you look up and it’s him. So, he’s done a great job.

On how important T Wayne Hunter will be to the offense this year…

Well, I think he’s a huge part of it. I think we all saw what he was capable of last year late in the season, when he stepped in and went against some of the best players in the league, Mathis and Woodley and those guys. Again, just another year of having all of the reps with the ones will be great for him. Last year, he was more of a swing tackle for us that ended up getting put into a role, and this year he is our real starting tackle, and he’s thrilled about that, and he’s looking forward to it. Now, the next challenge is for him is to try to be seen as one of the top tackles in the league, and that obviously would give us two of the best tackles in football.

On whether he will limit RB LaDainian Tomlinson’s touches early in the season to keep him fresh towards the end of the season…

Yes, I think what we’re trying to do obviously is, we’re excited about giving Shonn (Greene) the bulk of the carries. We’re excited about him kind of being our bell cow, if you will. LT is thrilled about it. We’ve kind of challenged LT in terms of one thing we want to get better at, (improving) our third-down percentage, our conversions. And with him being the third-down back, to kind of put that on his shoulders a little bit, between he and Mark, and some of the other guys, to kind of raise that level. (He’s) still a great player. He’s still going to be very involved. He’s a guy that accepts any challenge, so when you challenge him about third downs or blitz pickups, or anything, he always steps to the front.

On whether the coaching staff did a lot of brainstorming to try to improve the offense in the red zone and on third down…

Yes, we really did. Actually, that was one of the first things that Tom (Moore) came in about, was the red zone. When we brought him in the first time, we just had a list of things, but that was a big thing. We spent a ton of time on it. Looking back at our stuff, a lot of things that we need to do a better job of are getting ahead of the sticks a little bit on first down. If you get into third-and-long in the red zone, unfortunately, you’re going to get, usually, eight guys in coverage, soft, cover-2, things like that, and they make you dump the ball off underneath. So, we’ve got to do a better job of not shooting ourselves in the foot. We had some penalties where we were first-and-10 at the 12, next thing you know it’s first-and-15, and that makes it hard. But we’ve not only researched it all spring, but we’ve started with it in training camp, like the second day we were right in there. And we’ve had it almost every day since the start of camp.

On whether the goal line possession against Pittsburgh crystallized the team’s issues in the red zone…

The red zone? I don’t think so. I think each and every drive is different. Obviously, we’d love to have that drive turn out differently, but I don’t think it crystalized it. I think each and every drive was different. That was a drive where, the first play we caught them with a trap and got down close and tried to go with a play-action pass against a pretty good run defense. The play got in late, we had some communication problem, so the run-action pass that we had, just really didn’t unfold. Third down, called a pass, and that Woodley kid made a great play. On fourth down, we called our bread and butter play, and they stopped us. So, you’ve got to give them credit, but no, to say it ties in with the red zone (issues) all year long. I wouldn’t agree with that.

On whether he spent most of his time in the offseason thinking about that possession…

Not at all. The third-and-17 call I did. I always get asked that question, amazingly (laughter). If I could have one call back from that game it wouldn’t be any of the four downs, it would be the third-and-17 call in the first two-minute drive. We were struggling. Probably in that situation, you’re better off handing the ball off and going in to half time, but they brought an overload blitz, we didn’t pick it up, and unfortunately, (the ball) got picked up and run back for a touchdown.

On how much Burress will help on the goal line…

Obviously, he’s been great in that area of field his whole career. The size, matchup advantage is huge. I think that’s something, again, you get him isolated. Usually, a lot of teams play where they can decide whether they want to cheat the backside safety strong, or keep him weak, and that’s what teams have to decide. If they’re going to single him back there, then obviously, we’ll have things built in for him. If they want to try to double him, then that opens up guys on the other side, as well, so it should really help.

On what his plans are for Joe McKnight and Jeremy Kerley…

I think, with Joe, going into his second year, he’s leaps and bounds from how he started last year, just in terms of understanding the system and the way he’s working. He knows how we practice. He knows how we work and that’s been terrific. He’s such a great athlete, though, I think you’ll see us try to move him around a little bit and try to put him in different spots. I think that’ll be great. I think with Jeremy (Kerley), somebody asked about Michael Campbell, Jeremy is a guy that has showed up every day and just made play-after-play. With some of the other guys being out to start the camp, he’s gotten a lot of reps with the ones. He’s earned those reps. I try to remind Rex whenever he makes a play, ‘Hey, who took that guy on a private workout? It was me.’ I make sure that he knows that (laughing). Of course, he claims the Terminator (John Conner), so I can claim one guy. When we went to work out Jeremy, we knew that there was something special about him. He had the right look in his eye and, obviously, when you saw him running routes, we thought, ‘This kid is pretty good.’ He’s doing a great job.

On how this year’s receiving corps will be different from last season’s corps…

I think that still remains to be seen. I think, obviously, the fact that you have guys that can play inside and out with Tone (Santonio Holmes) and Derrick, I think you’ll see us run some more multiple-receiver sets because we can move guys around. Again, what you’re looking at with each guy, Plaxico’s size and strength. Derrick Mason, you look at his numbers the last couple of years, it’s hard to keep up sometimes with other teams, but when the name came across our desk and you go back and look at the film, you see a guy who is effective inside and out. We all know what Tone can do. (We may do) multiple receiver sets and move guys around. That’ll get us some flexibility and lot of this is just based on how they come along with the practice. There is plenty of time to get it all done, but it will be great to have them all out here.

On how he felt when he heard that Jerricho Cotchery had requested to leave the team…

I think, obviously, you sit down and you talk. Jerricho and I had a chance to do that. It’s crazy enough, you don’t really talk about the business. You just talk about your relationship and how you feel about one another. That’s why we do what we do because you make great relationships. You meet people like the Jerricho Cotcherys of the world. You meet people like Tom Moore, Mark Sanchez. You meet people like Drew Brees and they’re lifelong friends for you. It’s just part of the business. He’ll move on and do well and we’ll move on and do well here.

On whether they teach the wide receivers all the wide receiver positions…

Yes, we do. Obviously, guys like Tone, we’re asking him to do a lot more than he did last year because the concepts get flipped around based on formations so they have to learn multiple positions. The concepts are all the same, but you have to learn, “Ok, hey, I’m the “F” on this play, so that I have this route.”

On whether that makes it harder for defenses to know where receivers are going to be…

Yes, no question.

On what he means by asking Santonio Holmes to do more…

Last year, when he came in, he was mostly playing X early on. Then, we added the F. Now, he’s playing all the positions and doing well.

Tyson Rauch

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