John Idzik Talks Quarterback “Competition”

Jul 24, 2014; Cortland, NY, USA; New York Jets general manager John Idzik looks on during training camp at SUNY Cortland. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

General manager John Idzik is entering his second year in his role with the team. It’s year number two of John putting the guys in the Green and White for Rex and the gang to coach. One area he is particularly interested in, just like the rest of us, is the quarterback position.

Although we all know about the differentiation in the snaps, Idzik defends the competition as even:

Competition is not only about quantifying reps. Reps can ebb and flow. I think you saw that last summer, too. You may switch up the workload from early in the week to late in the week. A lot of that is just let’s let this thing transpire. Let’s see what happens, how Geno, how Mike, how Matt (Simms), how Tajh (Boyd), how they respond. There will be a little bit of fluctuation in reps. Going into camp, we feel like we’re going to give the lion’s share to Geno and we’ll see how he responds and so far he’s responded very well. Some of that, too, is Mike being a vet. And again, he’s familiar with (offensive coordinator) Marty (Mornhinweg), he’s familiar with our system, he’s been there, done that to a certain degree, (but) not with our guys. He’s an experienced veteran. I think that plays into it as well. Last year with the new offensive coordinator, (there was) a lot of newness, me included. I think it was a little different.

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When the issue was pushed, here is what Idzik had to say:

Again, competition is not just about counting reps. They just got off of a conditioning drill. (Competition is) pressing each other in the conditioning drill. They go from a conditioning drill, take one of those nice little carts and go lift weights. It’s pressing each other when lifting weights. There will be an ebb and flow. I don’t think it’s tilted at all. In anything we do, you’re there to make yourself better and make your teammates better. That’s our mantra. That’s how we define competition. In anything, if you have 25 percent of the reps, you have two snaps, three snaps, nine snaps (or) 15 – you need to be prepared that those two, three, nine (or) 15 are the best. If you’re not taking this rep and your teammate is, how can I help my teammate on that rep? That’s our mindset. It’s not just purely quantifiable like that and reading the play time or the reps and drawing assumptions from that.

Of course, this is what we expect Idzik to say. There is no reason to be annoyed by the fact that he insists the competition is even. At this juncture of training camp, there is no way Idzik was going to say anything else. But, we know differently. When the reps are divided that dramatically, it is clear evidence that Geno is in the lead.

Idzik will learn that Jets’ fans are smarter than that.