Jets Training Camp Preview with Defensive Coordinator Jeff Ulbrich (7/25)

talking down in Mobile, Alabama had the Senior Bowl. We are from a personnel standpoint, for sure, we are a different defense. Um. Absolutely love and appreciate the guys that fought with us in year one and and a lot of growth occurred individually collectively the whole deal. Um. But we got some guys now that uh, um, we're extremely excited about and uh it's gonna be uh, it's gonna

be a different year. You talked about numerous times that not only do you guys have players who are physically talented, but they bring a lot of intangibles on the field and inside the room. Can you go on that, you know, twenty plus years in the NFL now planning, coaching and and uh and I don't want to sound over the top here, but is absolutely UM the finest collection of human beings from top to bottom that I've ever been around.

UM character football character, off the charts, Guys that absolutely love this game, obsessed by it. UM to assemble a collective group that there is no turds, There is no outlier regarding a guy that maybe doesn't love it, not obsessed with it, not willing to put the work in. It's really hard to find. It's just it's a tremendous credit to Joe Douglas, tremendous credit to UH coach Robert Sale and Uh, this entire organization really like refew using

to compromise when it comes to that. What does that mean for you as a teacher, a guy who's installing the defensive plan, the game plan, or who's gonna go through all these installations throughout training camp. But to have a collection of guys like this, it makes it fun. You know, you've got guys that they're you know a lot of times you've gotta urge a guy to come in extra. UM takes the extra time that it takes, and and I want more. Uh, that is not the

case with this group. These guys are absolutely down for whatever. The extra is kind of part of their DNA, and uh, it just makes it fun come to work every day. When you got a group like this, you said, a good defense has to be feared. What do you mean by that? Well, I think there there there's there's multiple components to it. UM. I think the most obvious is the physical component. Um, We've got to be a team that is absolutely physical, and physical can be defined and

demonstrating a lot of different ways. UM. I think the obvious is obviously the way you hate a guy. But it's within the line of scrimmin it's getting off of blocks, it's coming out of breaks, it's all that we do. UM. We've got to demonstrate that at all times. UM. So that's a that's a big part of it. And then there's a mental component to that, you know, as far as being so precise in what we do and having answers for all the issues that we potentially could have, UM.

And then to have the ability to execute at the highest level. I think that creates a level of fear, especially within opposing quarterbacks and offenses. So an offensive coordinator, So I think it's it's it's partly partly physical, it's partly mental and m and I think we've got the guys that are capable. I really do believe that we have the guys that are capable to get that that that accomplished. What's important of dictating on early downs. I know that sounds so I'm elementary, but I go back

to Mike la Fleur. Last season, a lot of people are questioning what is he doing, and it kept on saying we need more plays and then that playbook is going to expand. From a defensive coordinator's perspective, on the surface, it looks like you have a lot of guys who can really get after that quarterbacks. So if you have teams in third and five, third and six, third and seven, then what does it do for you with in terms of opening it up? That's huge. Um, you gotta win

the early downs in this game. You gotta set yourselup up with third and longer's. This league is just um, it's so hard, the skill level so high, UM. The ability that was so high for for an offense when they get into that third and two to five window. Um, defensively, it becomes hard to win in those windows, you know, because you've got guys that can win the one on

ones you get you got. Um. You know, from a pressure standpoint, it's hard to get there when the balls coming out that quickly, you know, so it nullifies your defensive line a lot. So, as you said, winning on those early downs, creating those third and six plus um downs is huge. UM. I really believe we have the guys to get that accomplished. Now. Uh. You know there's uh, there's there's a couple of philosophies and how you get

that done. Um, I think the one that we will lean to and uh that I believe in and coach all believes in is on those early downs, we're gonna play simple, sound, fundamental football. UM. We're gonna play fast,

we're gonna play physical. Uh, We're not going to overload our players with a whole lot um just so that they can demonstrate all the stuff that we talked about, physicality, precision, all those things, you know, and then on on those third and longers that will really give us the ability to open up the playbook, just as the offense was trying to get accomplished all last season. Um, that's when you can really get a little bit more exotic with coverage, pressure,

all those things. Now those defensive alignment really come to life. Um, And and from a back end perspective, you know it's their job to to create that hitch for the defensive line. So, um, it'll be exciting to get into those longer windows and open up this playbook and really allow these players to have some and getting after people. Where do you think

you have to be in terms of run defense? Obviously you want to be a stout unit, but full runs of Fogassi not here Solomon Thomas a big free agent edition, and I think it's kind of slipped onto the radar here c J. Mosley what he could do last year. If anybody had any doubt, he still remains one of the final linebackers solutional Football League. I know you guys love what you got out of Quincy Williams last year, and he should only get better and then you have

some young pieces around that unit. But where do you have to be in terms of this run defense? Yeah, we we've we've got to be sound, we've got to be physical, which I've ever already spoke on. But um, the big part is you just can't let teams really get their run game established and rolling, because that's when defense becomes very hard because not only you're struggling with the run, um, you're you're creating certain shorts which aren't good. And then it opens up this whole can of worms

regarding play action. You know. So it's gonna be a huge emphasis for us defensively to be better versus the run. Part of that is we've we've brought a new players that's going to absolutely help that. UM. Part of that is a second year in the system, especially from a linebacker perspective, because uh, what this system has asked linebackers to do in the past is so difficult from a coverage standpoint that inevitably, especially year one within this system, UM,

there can be some hiccups. There can can be some struggles in the run game because when I know I gotta take Tyreek Hill on a on a vertical route as a linebacker, I'm not so eager to jump in my a gap and stop a run, you know, So it takes It's like you overcorrect it first and you play so passive in the run game because you're so

worried about the past stuff. And then year two you start to settle down and start to really understand when I have threats, when I don't have threats, when I can be aggressive, when I can't be aggressive, you know. At the same time, Um, I think we've refined our scheme in a in a way that that allows to be more aggressive versus the run. So it's it's a

combination of a lot of things, but it's extremely important. Yeah, what's the evolution of the scheme because you learn a lot of things about your personality or one you come in here, you work with Robert for the first time, and then you have this huge transformation in terms of bringing in all these talented pieces in this offseason. Yeah, it's interesting. Um, you know, you always have to evolve in this league. You have to. There's just too many

bright offensive minds that are Uh it's funny. They used to have their their beaters, their three beaters, there, four beaters, there, six beaters, all those things, and it was kind of standardized. Um. Now you know, because of the the Michael Fleur's, because of the Kyle Shanahans, because these guys that are really go beyond what was the traditional way to beat things, creating new problems for us defensively. Um. Really from their perspective. They went from trying to just beat us to really

understand us, and that's danger us, you know. So you know, and when you have a strong understanding of a defense, it really opens up your ability to beat the defense in new innovative ways which really create problems for us. So as they evolve, as they grow, as they create more of these beaters for us, we have to evolve,

you know. So I think we really took a deep dive and and really washed our scheme, and um, we won't abandoned the base fundamentals of it, but some of the coverage principles within it we definitely refined and and tried to give our our players a better opportunity successful. So, um, I think it's gonna help us a lot too. Yeah, you're not. You're not gonna give away state secrets here

on the Even training camp. But one thing that I always thought that was fascinating that Robert is stressed each time I talked to him about coverages, is that there's this notion that you guys in the backgend are always playing zone and Robert always smiles and says, we play a lot more man than effect, absolutely, and you have personalit wise, if you really look at it, you have even have more ability Adrian year or two to play man. Yeah,

it's uh, it's an interesting balance. You know. When you look at the teams that major in man, when that is the majority of what they play, Um, it can be very good, it can be very successful, it can work at a very high level. Um. But at times, if you really look at the people that major in it, at times they also give up some explosives, you know.

And it is and uh, um, although we will play man, and there's absolutely times where you have to play man, you know, like we talked about the third and short windows where you gotta glove people up and challenge them and and and stick to them. Um. I think we're gonna still be a balanced team though. I think I really believe the best brand of defense for this particular group of guys and within this system is when you

have true balance. You know. That's not to say will be all zone or a majority zone or all man or I think when you find that that balance, Um, that's when you keep offenses a little bit off platform and they're not quite sure what they're getting. That's when we play our best ball. That's when we give our players the best opportunity to be successful. So, um, we will play a little bit of all of it, you know, and and uh and we'll get really good at it.

And um and when I say that, that doesn't necessarily mean a lot of defense, you know, that just means some variety of within what we do. That's all it is. Yeah, you said more options. Win bet is not live in New Jersey and they're bringing the excitement of win Las Vegas to online sports betting, getting on all your favorite teams, players and sports from boostep partlays to live in game odds on every major sport. They have what you need

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Carl Awson. He was the best player on the field by far last summer. How excited are you to get him back here as we start training camp? And then also from a coaching standpoint, I know you love coaching him, but do you have to caution him, Hey, sometimes we've got to just scale back a little bit. We're heading in the right direction. Yeah, Like, Carl's a guy that

you gotta yell will because he will go at all times. UM. So excited to get him back, just not only the talent, which is obvious and like you said, um, by far the the m v P of last training camp. UM, what he put out there, he was difficult to block with and deal with every single day. Um. But he is a guy that we I think we will have to monitor because he is he's again, he's one of these guys that is so obsessed with the game and go so hard and has no um like, he only

does things one way. So because of that, we have to be careful on the reps, the situations, the times that we utilize him, and we really have to help him help himself regarding that because he's a guy that will will he'll work himself to death if he could, you know, because he loves the game, because he's such a great teammate because he wants to create this amazing legacy as a player and a person. Um, so we got to kind of protect him fro himself a little bit,

you know. But at the same time, I know he's so eager to get back out there, and um, because of that obsession and love for the game. He loves to practice and he loves to constantly refine his skill and and evolve and grow and try new things. And uh, he's really he's he's why you coach this game. How cool is it to have him considering you just went up in the draft and got Jermaine Johnson, of course, and then can't come back in the fourth round and

get Michael Clemens, two guys that you like. But just having a guy like lost in in the room and watching him on the field and the way he prepares, the way he takes everything is so serious. Yeah. He just he creates such an amazing environment for these younger players because he he provides the perfect model of what it's supposed to look like as a pro. The way he prepares, the way he takes care of his body,

the way he eats, the way he studies film. Um, Yeah, he these these younger guys they don't know because they don't know better, but they're they're so fortunate to have a guy in the room that can show him, um, exactly what it looks like to do it at the highest level. The changing dynamic. At defense event, we talked about the draft picks you resigned, Vinny Curry. Jacob Martin comes over a free ag and say nobody's talking about him, but he's gonna fit in great in this system. Um,

you still have Bryce hoff Fear. I'm just wondering how the dynamic changes in the middle now with the healthy loss and and all these guys on the edge. And I didn't mention JFM because he's got the versatility flip inside, but what is it me for guys like Quinno Williams, Solomon Thomas, Sheldon Rankins and jf IM When he goes inside, it just gives us a lot of versatility, allows these guys to play the style in which we're trying to

to play. Um, we absolutely like we And I know I take key about this and I really can care less that we rotate so much, you know, but UM, I really believe and this is from a coaching perspective, it's also because I played the game that to play the style of defense we want to play, regarding the effort to strain the toughness, um, that ability to go all gas, no breaks, and make that come to life in every way. Uh, rotation is necessary, you know, and

at times you just don't have the depth. You don't have the guys that are capable of rotating and maintaining the same level of play. Um, we have that now, you know. So it's gonna be really exciting to see that come to life. These guys are gonna play with their absolute hair on fire, like, um, knowing that. Okay, I play four plays, I play five plays, I can come out and we're not gonna there's not gonna be

a big drop off to the next man. So, um, the depth is absolutely critical, especially on the defensive line. Why do you think that comes with a bad connotation sometimes when people are talking about some people and keeping people fresh, But like, like you just discuss it. I just don't understand. I get Quinn and Williams an elite talent. I get that Carl Lawson as an elite talent, but

you need everybody firing for four quarters, right. I was talking to White Cotton about it a few weeks ago during O T A S and he talked about the number of reps that JFM played last season. Well, he doesn't have to play that amount of reps, and you

can get more production out of him. That's right. I just think it's human nature when you know you're in it for sixty seventy plays of defense, Like, regardless of your makeup, regardless how much you love it, regardless how tough you are, you know, what type of motor you have.

I think inevitably you hold back at times, you know, and and you know there's that internal conversation about okay, when this is third and six, I need to go, you know, so on this second and eight, like maybe this is my op too, to hold back a little bit,

you know. And and when you really study the game, even the best players, even the best of all time in this in this game, you see him hold back at times, you know, and especially from a deal line perspective, because it's just so straining, it's so taxing, it's so hard to to maintain, you know, the highest level of

play for sixty seventy plays. So I think when these guys really have a full understanding that that I can go hard and then I'm going to get sub that I'm not going to be in here for sixty seventy plays. I think you get a better version of them. I really do. And then when the critical moments come, third down, two, many it in the game like we're ready to roll, we're ready to finish, We're ready to close the door on somebody, Robert said, Sauce Garner can pretty much do

it all. He's gonna have to make an adjustment here as he plays. He said. One of the things that he pointed out was sometimes they can get free releases and non a follow as opposed to college. Can you talk about that transition and what he's gonna have to prepare for. Yeah, that he's one of the guys that I don't know what the percentage was, but it was maybe the highest of all the draft eligible corners regarding

his his time being down in a press position. So he lived in that world and he thrived in that world, and um and obviously we're gonna allow him to do that as often as we can. But at the same time, in this league that you're gonna play teams that are gonna create formations whether it's condensed formations, book alignments where you gotta get off, whether it's stacks, bunches, whether they're trying to free a guy out. Um, there's gonna be times where he's not going to be able to be

in that press position. So it's gonna be a little bit of adjustment for him, you know. But um, you know, I'm hopeful we'll mix in enough zone, will mixing enough stuff for him where um, he'll still be able to thrive, He'll still be able to do his thing. And and he's and he's saying all of that. He's still gonna have plenty of opps to get down and press people and kind of that's his superpower, you know, it really is. And um, for us to not allow him to do that as often as we can would be a huge

mistake on our part. Did anything surprise you about him during the spring? You knew he was a sensational talent, and he knew he was competitive, But even just me watching from the sideline, it was like every play he was getting after it. It wasn't some guys make that transition. And there's a little bit of taking a step back and absorbing, and I'm sure he's absorbing because I know he can't get enough football. But with that being said, he was on it right after people. He's the rare

guy that he refuses to repeat airs. He's just constantly growing. Um, something happens out there that's out of whack and he gets beat, or or maybe he doesn't get beat, maybe the guys just more open than he'd like, and he sprints over the sideline and it's Tony Odin, it's Marco o'manuels myself, it's all of us, it's it's Coach Sala like you know what happened there? Like you know he was.

He's an insane student of this game. He's he's got a passion for it, love for it, but he's also got the brain to ability and the ability to to absorb it all to you know, so um, to see him in the spring, that was probably the thing that I was most surprised about, because we knew the athlete,

you know, we knew the athletic talent. We knew that, and we had heard about the makeup, especially having Greg Scrugs here who had been at Cincinnati, who gave us a brilliant inside view of him from a guy that had coached him at Cincinnati. UM, but still just to see it and to see the consistency of it, to see a guy first out on the field, last to leave, to see a guy that was so UM, just just obsessed with it, you know. And I don't know I'm using that word a lot, but he's just he's he's

unique in that way. A lot of rookies just kind of sit back and take their lumps and and steadily grow. Um. I don't think he's down for that life Like he wants it, and he wants it now, and he wants to be great today. He doesn't want to just be a player in this league. He doesn't want to just be a starter. That that is like the farthest thing from his brain. I think there's a huge part of him and he's got the makeup to do it. From a physical and mental emotional standpoint. He wants to be

the best in this game. How about the swagger in the depth at that position you're talking about Sauce before DJ read such a fascinating story and I know you appreciate his work ethic and I just love that dynamic there. But then you think about the cornerback group. You guys are awfully high on Michael Carter. But now you've got this depth that has developed. Suddenly feels like overnight, you saw what Bryce All did last year in Brandon Knickles

instead have Javelin Gudry as well. So it's like he got swagger, you got you got frontline big time ability, but you have depth as well. Yeah, that's it's critical. They're they're gonna happen. Um, people are gonna get hurt, they're gonna get nicked, things are gonna happen. You have to have the ability absorbing dream this league. You have to. If you can't, uh, you're not going to have sustained success. So the fact that we do have depth now is um,

it's very exciting. And we've got guys with a lot of different skill sets, you know. So I think it's going to give us the ability to to really adapt to offenses at times regarding matchups, regarding you know, techniques regarding calls that we can that we can utilize based upon our superpowers. Um, you've got a guy in DJ Reid who brings an edge. He brings is a dog

mentality that's very unique especially for that position. You know, he's Uh, another guy that provides such an amazing example for these younger players, especially from where he came from and what he's had to overcome. And he's not a guy that's just been given everything. You know, he wasn't given anything from a college perspective, wasn't drafted super high, got cut like all these things that have occurred to him. Um, and still found a way to be a top tier

corner in this league. And he's still growing and he's still just scratching the service what he what he can become. So he provides so much for us in that way. Obviously saw Uce, We already spoke on him. Um, you got Brandon Eccles, who I I anticipate making a big jump this year. He was a guy that, um, you know, maybe going into the season, maybe he didn't think, maybe we didn't think that he'd be a guy that we

were gonna have to count on for so much. You know, he was a six round pick at a at a Kentucky and all of a sudden he's thrown into the fire and he's starting for us, and um doing a heck of a job. And his guy that grew as the year went on and became a better player. But I always believe that rookies they're kind of just they're

they're they're trying to stay alive. They're trying to keep their head up, you know, out of water, and and and you're constantly got the sensation that you're being drowned, you know, whether it's the competition, the playbook, the length of the season, all those things. Um. And then finally the season ends, you finally have a chance to breathe. And and that's where the growth occurs. Things start to

really absorb, things start to make sense. Um. And I feel that from him, there's a new sense of confidence about him, swagger, whatever that how you want to define it. But I think he's gonna make a big jump. I think Bryce is gonna make a big jump. You know, we we we forget that he hadn't played a lot of football prior of last year. And you know, obviously he came in as a later draft pick, but then had the injury and and wasn't available whole lot for

his rookie years. So he's gonna make a big jump. So Michael Carter again another rookie who gets this offseason to let things slow down for him and Um, I think he's gonna be a much better player than he was, although he played tremendously, especially for late round rookie playing Nicol in this league, which is a huge task. Um.

So it's exciting. Bet is now live in New Jersey and they're bringing the excitement of win Las Vegas to online sports betting, getting on all your favorite teams, players and sports from boostep parlays to live in game odds on every major sport. They have what you need to win. Sign up today to receive a special offer risk free one thousand dollar sports bet. Download the wind Beat app now or visit w y N and vett dot com

to start winning. Wind Bet and the Pistol sports book and gaming partner of the New York Jets Office up to the change in terms of conditions at windbet dot com, must be twenty one the older at President of New Jersey. If you're someone you know has a gambling problem, called on seven zero seven one one seven. Your favorite player growing up was Rounding Love, So let's talk about safety position. Um, the dynamic has changed there as well. A LaMarcus joiner,

Why did you guys resign him? Um? He played one game last year, A lot of teams might event you might have said, hey, listen, didn't work out, unfortunately, get the injury and you know what the thirty at the same time. But you guys brought him back and then you bring in Jordan Whitehead, a guy's got championship I degree, who's a thumper who potentially could be a tone setter for that back end. Yeah, Um, LaMarcus was an easy decision as far as I'm concerned, Um, just getting to

know him. I know we didn't have him for but you know, a couple of players of that first game, but having the off season with him, his makeup is his world class. Um, he's a great teammate, as a great human beings, a great man, Um first and foremost, so you just you want as many of those people in your building. And then the player is Um. He's a guy that, like, in my opinion, how we utilize

him exactly how he should be utilized. He's a safety because he's got safety brain, he's got safety mouthpiece regarding his ability to communicate and run a defense and make all the checks and and and all the stuff from a coverage perspective. But he's also guy that we're gonna ask to play man at times. And the fact that he's played nicol and corner and he's done that, been asked that, done that at a high level makes him the perfect candidate to play kind of that free safety.

But he's kind of out of his time, don't you think, because a lot of people now think of safeties in a corner like role at times. Absolutely. Yeah, this league has become so coverage based, and um, you gotta have versatility to get back there. You gotta have guys that can do a little bit of it all zone man and in everything in between. And uh, and he checks those boxes for us. Plus another guy that for a very young secondary, another guy that provides the example of

what the pro is supposed to look like. You know, as much as we'd like to say as a coach, we can still those those work habits and um, you know, all the small things that make great pros. You know, there's nothing more powerful than them them seeing it and it being demonstrated on daily basis. He provides that for us. So to me, it wasn't easy. It wasn't it was

an easy you know. As as far as like why we brought him back, Like I don't think anybody fought with that, you know, that issue when we we we addressed it this offseason. And then Jordan's whitehead brings swagger, toughness, um, you know, and like, I don't know how best to describe this. He's just and I don't want to diminish like what he is because I know him. I'm raving about these guys because I love these guys collectively, but

he really is different. Like he's an edgy, tough like you said, potential tone setter, physical safety, um, but at the same time, has this like high level of like kindness you know that just absolutely attracts people to him. So he's a guy that's just like leadership comes easy. And what I was going to ask you when you were talking right now is like it's almost like I don't know how much he's talking inside the room, and he might be talking a bunch, but it seems like

he's soft spoken. But he's definitely somebody who other players are gonna gravitate, you know, and because of that, he's gonna have the ability to really bring people along with him. And uh, he does have a coach's brain, like he wants to know every little detail he wants to know the why. And UM, guys like that are just hard to come across, you know. Um, we're so fortunate that

we had the opportunity to sign him. Typically guys like that and and I don't know what the situation wasn't tampon a lot of times, it's money related, business related, and who knows, But um, that's not typically a guy that ever leaves a building. You know, he stays for a long time, especially when people really understand his DNA and his makeup. UM, so so fortunate that we got him, and and he's gonna make us so much better on the back end. And then there's other guys back there.

You're super excited about two. I mean, it's it's gonna be a a dog fight to start. It's gonna be a dog fight to make this team from that position, whereas maybe last year we didn't have the same sort of competition that we do now. So it's it's so exciting from that standpoint because Elijah Riley is a guy that just insane instinct and leadership and all all the stuff that he brings. And UM, I thought, you know, last year was really his first opportunity to play substantial

amount of reps from a defensive perspective. Um, and I thought he did well, you know. And and then but not making this transition from corner. Super excited about him because it's like he has all the stuff that we can't coach. He's got length, he's got speed, he's got physicality, plays hard, he's tough. Um, the position is just still

new to him. This is gonna be just talking to Mark Ommanuel's coach, UM, who does a tremendous job with those guys regarding like this is his first training camp ever as a safety, you know, so we got to remind ourselves that because that's not gonna always look perfect, you know. And I think he gets that, and I get that and gets that, you know. But but we see this growth that's occurring every day with him as he starts to under understand the position at a higher level.

So that's exciting. And then Ashton Davis, I think, you know, here's a guy that got injured, you know, early in his career, really didn't get an opportunity to like last seas season as we prepared, you know, he wasn't with us in the O t AS mini camps. He wasn't Um a participant in the off season and then in training camp even you know, I wasn't able to do

a whole lot. So when he eventually got the opportunity to play and he had to play substantial amount of rests for US, it was without a ton of work within this defense. And that's hard, That's really hard. It's hard to ask, my opinion, linebackers and safeties within this system because there's a we put a lot of stress on him. We asked a lot out of them, you know, and um to see what he's gonna be capable of now that things I think have slowed down a little

bit absorbed. He's got a lot of bank reps um from last season and now an entire offseason with US. I think you're going to see a big jump from him as well. And then Will Parks do. I don't want to miss on Will because um, Will is one of those guys that, like, he brings that different level of he's got experience obviously has played a lot of football in this league, but he's got a different edge

to him. You know, he's a guy that, like I don't want to diminish all the other stuff, but like if I'm gonna go fight in a dark alley, like he's one of the guys that I'm taking with me. Yeah. See, it's clear talking to you and other people inside the building, I don't think that people externally they fully have appreciated that point just yet. Is that you guys are excited where some people externally might be. Well, safety seems like

the question mark right now. You guys are genuinely excited about this group, not just okay, yeah, we brought in Whitehead and uh LaMarcus is going to bring a lot of versatility to the table, but you just names. You just want up and down that group in terms of that pieces and how a lot of those guys are

still growing in there on the fight. Yeah, it's so it's it's gonna be excited to see how it shakes out, you know, like is this Pannox here who knows you know, like that that story hasn't been told yet, you know, and he'll still that, he'll tell that story. But um, it's exciting to see what that group will become. How

pumped are you? I'm super excited. This is especially like you know, as much as we struggled last year at times, you know, I I absolutely put that on myself that I didn't get the job done, I didn't do enough for them to be successful. But I really believe another year within this system for these players, for myself and really gaining a deeper, deeper understanding of the answers that

are necessary to help them really unlock their superpowers. Um, it's just it's exciting to think that we're gonna finally like bring some true joy to these players as they start to realize what they can become individually and collectively as a defense, and to really bring the success and that this fan base deserves, you know, because you know, I've been a lot of places and been around a lot of fan bases, and it's just one that has met.

As much as the Jets have struggled over the years, it doesn't feel like they've they've left, you know, they've they They've kept their love and their passion in there and um, their support of this team and this organization through all the hard times. To think that we can bring them a product that they're going to be really proud of is exciting to me. But that speaks to who you are as a coach. You said that maybe there's some things that you think you can improve upon.

But one thing I think that we got to take into account is you put your head down and during the storm, you didn't change, you didn't waver. And it is always stuck out to me that you said in January that we could have took shortcuts, but in the long run, that was not going to help us improve. Now you've set yourself up to take that next step. Absolutely, you know. And and I'm not saying our ways the best way or the right way, but it's the way that we chose, and and I think it's gonna pay

dividends in the long run. We could have absolutely fabricated to make believe defense that would have um maybe helped us within some games and and made some games a little tighter and maybe pulled out a a win here or there. But in the long run, I really want these players to know that they're the answer, not me. I'm not the puppet master holding the strings over here. They're the ones that are gonna make this defense come

to life. They're the ones. They're gonna create that defense that is feared and and that brings pride back to this organization, into this fan base, and and to them individually as as as human beings and men and the privlemen that they are. So you got a really cool staff to do. Yeah, and how much did you guys grow together last year? And man, it just seems like and you point them out continually here as we talk, but it just seems like everybody's totally together in mindset.

It's so it's the absolute truth. Mike Rutenberg, who does a fantastic job with the linebackers, mark on Manual coaches our safeties. Tony Oden who does an excellent job with those corners, and what a task he was asked to do last year, you know, to coach so many young guys up on the fly. Um. Ricky Manning Jr. Like we're so fortunate to have this guy who's played the position of nickel at the highest level, maybe one of the premier nickels that have ever played this game, really has.

He's one of the guys that kind of put it on the map, him in Ronde Barber and and some of those original guys. Um. And then to have Aaron white Cotton with such a deep understanding of this front and now to bring in Greg's scrugs and um, and then Matt Willingham another fantastic addition who who he's kind of be in a support position, but he's gonna help with the linebackers and help a lot of different places.

Help myself. UM. You know this business, any business, when when times are hard and you're going through struggles and adversity, UM, I feel like the normal thing amongst groups is there's always gonna be a little bit of people deviating from the plan, people protecting themselves. UM it's not my fault, you know, and and creating pockets and division and that

whole thing. We saw absolutely none of that last year. Um. We put our arms together, put our heads down, stayed together, UM, worked our butts off to help these players as as best we could. And U and for that, I will be forever, forever grateful for the staff to final ones and the schedule. When you saw Baltimore week on in Lamar Jackson and just the way it sets up with the f C North, what goes through your mind those four weeks and getting ready for the start of the season.

It's uh, definitely a fantastic challenge for us, you know, and I think that's how we've all approached it. Player and coach alike. UM, but it it definitely there's a level of banks as there's there always will be, you know, like there especially with the Baltimore who is so unique in what they do, and they present so many challenges that you don't see a week to week. And when you got a quarterback of that caliber, with the mobility and the speed that he has, UM, it creates issues

that just aren't normal. You know. So from that standpoint, UM, you can't simulate it. But is it better that you can get him a week one? Uh? You know, it's They're always gonna be a challenge. I know it's a crazy question. But at the same time, it's like, oh, at least we can practice a little bit on this during some of these training camp sessions. Yeah, that helps little bit. But like you said, it's so hard to simulate.

You know, UM gone against him twice now from a coaching perspective, and UM, and what you see on Sundays is Uh is real and it's legit and it's different, you know. And and he's got a um ability to play the position differently than maybe it's ever been played. And Uh, he brings a level of athleticism that just rare, so it's gonna be a fantastic challenge. But um, at the same time, like just knowing the makeup of this defense and from players and coaches like we're gonna be

ready and we're excited about it. And um, what a great platform to to get the season started with. Ye and I just want until then, we got a lot of work work. I just want to end it here. Um. There were so many topics that we didn't get too because you're you're too good to be honest with you. Um. Robert defensive coach, UM all the way going back and obviously before he got this job, proceeding the Jets defensive coordinator in San Francisco, he tabs you to be the

defense the coordinator. One of the first statements he has asked or one of the first questions he has who's calling a place? So I'm not calling a place and he hires you. Um. How how much did he provide in terms of balance, like you throwing things off him, ideas and also how did that relationship evolve and continue

to involve. Yeah, it's huge to have that type of resource in the building to to throw ideas against um, you know, to get advice from uh, during the week of preparation, during practice, during game planning obviously, and then on game days. Just it's invaluable, you know. And it's one that I'll be forever grateful for. Um, I really believe, like, and I got so much to learn still and I'm still growing in every way teaching and knowledge of the game and my database of defense and the whole thing.

But but I'll be forever grateful for the education of defense that he gives me daily and that he's given me so far. So UM, he just gives me the ability to grow every day. Uh and um because of him, I'll really be able to be the best version of myself, you know. So it's it's a very it's a very cool relationship that I'm fortunate to have. Let's go out on this one. You've got a favorite training camp story. Um, you broke into the league when they're still doing two days.

You got anything that stands out that mm hmm. The training camp which was my last with Mike Singletary as the head coach. He uh, he brought us back to the essence of football and uh with that meaning physicality and um, he really he took that idea that it was going to be the players that make this thing come to life, more so than maybe any coach I've ever been around in my life. And um, I mean put it this way, we started every practice with either

like Nutcracker or Oklahoma. Like it was. It was as throwback as it gets, and it was as tough as it's ever been around. And and uh, yeah it was. It was an adventure. It was definitely tough, and and but I got to really I'm still so fortunate that I went through it, though, because it you really gained an appreciation for the men that have that have laid the foundation of of what this league stands for and what is what is all about? And uh, you got to walk the walk of of those guys for at

least a training camp, you know. So I'll be forever grateful for him for that. But times have changed, haven't There's none of that. There's no Oklahoma, there's no tackling, there's no double days, there's no nothing. So but ultimately absolutely the best thing. Like I don't want to ever say that we need to go back to that way of life, because I think, um, this emphasis on player safety is just absolutely necessary and it's it's the right way to do things. This was fun it always is.

Appreciate your time. I appreciate you. Thank you, M M