CORTLAND, N.Y. â€" It is as if a different Mark Sanchez reported to New York Jets training camp, packing 12 pounds of added muscle and an attacking mentality "of taking a full swing" at this season.
Rich Barnes, US PRESSWIRE
New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez knows it's important to step up as a leader from the start of training camp with popular Tim Tebow now his backup.
Rich Barnes, US PRESSWIRE
New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez knows it's important to step up as a leader from the start of training camp with popular Tim Tebow now his backup.
Is this Sanchez's response to the March 21 trade for former Denver Broncos sensation Tim Tebow?
Maybe. Yet Sanchez forged his demeanor as a more assertive leader after encouragement from his father, Nick, and inner circle.
From running down to congratulate rookie Stephen Hill after throwing a first-play, 40-yard touchdown pass in Friday's initial practice to showing full grasp of new offensive coordinator Tony Sparano's fastbreak offense, Sanchez has been impressive as a leader.
"The most important thing was to come in here with some fire, with an attacking, positive attitude, and just start this year off right," Sanchez told USA TODAY Sports on Saturday. "I just wanted to show everyone I believe we have the right team to do it, convey that and try to be as vocal as possible.
"I really just want to take a full swing at this season. I never want to look back in regret and say, 'Oh, man, I wish I would have done that.' "
Sanchez, 25, is driven to atone for an 8-8 season of regression.
"There's two ways to go after last year," Sanchez says. "You could really tank or go back out there, throw your shoulders back and say, 'Let's roll!' That's the way I feel coming into this year."
Saturday's first public practice, attended by 2,588 fans, emphasized the clear separation between Sanchez and fan favorite Tebow, whose erratic passing drew heckles from some fans.
"That's a Tebow ball!" yelled one fan.
Coach Rex Ryan praised Sanchez for showing good zip despite a driving rain. But the outspoken Ryan was at a rare loss when asked to react about a shirtless Tebow being the last Jet to run off the practice field.
"I'm not there yet," Ryan said. "I don't want the fans not coming out, just in case."
Sanchez was 6-for-8 in pass attempts in 11-on-11 drills compared with 3-for-8 for Tebow.
"When you're playing in the Northeast, you have to be able to throw the football in bad conditions," Ryan says. "I mean, Sanchez can spin it."
Sanchez, who threw 26 touchdown passes with 18 interceptions and lost eight fumbles, says he and Tebow have forged a mutual understanding.
"People are going to try and drive a wedge between us that will make us not like each other," he says. "But this team and winning and being competitors is so much more important. We both want the same thing, and we have to figure out a way to make this work.
"That's what we're doing. And we're doing it for the team, because we know we can both help each other and the team."
Sanchez reset his approach after reflecting with his father, his quarterback guru and former high school coach Bob Johnson and longtime friend and University of Southern California professor Susan Evans.
"We all at individual times had a talk about how I want to attack this season mentally," Sanchez says. "All of them told me how far I've come and that it was just the tip of the iceberg.
"They said, 'Don't let anything get you down. You've barely started.' "
Sanchez never doubted himself last season, but his confidence took a hit.
The Jets lost their final three games to miss the playoffs after advancing to the AFC Championship Game in each of the first two seasons with Sanchez under center.
He was bothered last season by a nagging throwing shoulder and neck nerve injury that undermined his ability to step into throws. He suffered a pinched nerve in his neck after a Nov. 17 loss at Denver and was listed on the injury report with a neck injury in Weeks 15 and 16.
"My shoulder was pretty banged up as the season went on," he says.
"The season itself, taking some hits took a toll and I wasn't myself. I wasn't throwing the ball well, and I wasn't as strong as I wanted to be at the end."
Sanchez and wide receiver Santonio Holmes mended last season's divisive rift after a summit in Orlando this spring.
"We were able to just talk on a human level away from football and really understand each other," Sanchez says.
"We can never let that (rift) happen again. Lack of communication â€" there's no excuse for that. We have to be able to talk it out. It's never personal; we're trying to win. We respect each other's skill set; let's make it work.
"After that talk we had in Orlando, we feel like we can do it all," Sanchez says. "And we have to help bring our young receivers here along quick. We've got a short camp, and we have to roll."
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