The Jets are talking about “tempo” these days more than a group of students at Julliard.
New offensive coordinator Tony Sparano has put an emphasis on speed, not just once the ball is snapped but in everything that comes before it. He wants the offense to get in and out of huddles fast, get to the line fast and figure out its play calls even faster.
“It’s important to me for a few reasons,” Sparano said. “Anytime you can practice at a high pace, you would hope that it creates an up-tempo practice. I think the other thing is your players get used to practicing at a high pace, and the game becomes just a shade slower, if that’s possible.
“Lastly, I think when your force them to practice fast, they don’t have a lot of time to digest the information, OK, not a lot of time to think about it at the line of scrimmage. It forces them to know [the play].”
The Jets offense has gotten quicker and quicker as their offseason has progressed. Yesterday was the team’s sixth organized team activity. As players have gotten used to Sparano’s system, the speed in practice has increased.
“I think when we first started the defense really had an advantage going against us in practice, but I feel like the offense is really stepping up right now,” tight end Dustin Keller said. “I feel like it’s a lot more competitive than it was in years past.”
Sparano said about 60 percent of the offense has been installed.
The focus continued to be on the quarterbacks yesterday with neither Mark Sanchez nor Tim Tebow looking particularly crisp. Tebow made the best throw of the day, a deep ball down the sideline that rookie wide receiver Stephen Hill made a nice adjustment on.
Head coach Rex Ryan said the Jets have not introduced any of the unconventional packages they plan for Tebow. So far, he has just played in the regular offense.
Sparano praised Sanchez’s grasp of the system.
“I would say he’s probably worked and put in the most amount of work, which he should,” Sparano said. “But that being said, you know, what sometimes they should do and they really do, OK, are two totally different things.
“It’s a credit to Mark, that he has been able to put that kind of time in.”
Ryan said Sanchez has been shown his command of Sparano’s offense in the classroom as well as on the field.
“I think the best thing how Sanchez is leading is in the classroom,” Ryan said. “Tony will fire out questions, and Sanchez has all the answers. I think that speaks volumes to his teammates. I see that over and over and over again.”
The Jets did not make Sanchez or Tebow available to the media yesterday.
Members of the offense said Sparano’s aggressive style is a change from former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and one that they welcome. Sparano has not been shy about riding players. He hopes the pressure he applies now results in the physical offense he envisions for the fall.
“I have high expectations, OK, for this group, and don’t mind telling them that,” Sparano said. “I mean, I want them to be physical. If at the end we’re watching it, there’s a piece or two that isn’t physical, then we need to figure that out.
“Smoke and mirrors aren’t going to win a lot of games.”