N.Y.Times Article: Revis

Jets? Revis Takes Field, Doing Best to Make Up for Lost Time

By KAREN CROUSE
Published: August 20, 2007

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Aug. 19 ? Midway through Sunday?s practice, Jets tight end Sean Ryan dropped to his knees to catch a pass across the middle and became yet another training camp hurdle for the rookie Darrelle Revis.
Revis, taking part in his first practice since ending a 20-day contract holdout last week, was sprinting from his right cornerback position in pursuit of the ball during an 11-on-11 drill. Rather than try to pull up, Revis soared over Ryan as if wearing springs.

Revis?s fresh legs may have been the only advantage he had over his teammates as he took his first steps toward assimilating into the secondary and making up for lost downs.

?There were positives and negatives today, but I think I did good,? said Revis, who was practicing in pads for the first time since the week of Pittsburgh?s last game of the 2006 college football season, in late November. ?Getting into the pads and getting used to this stuff is an adjustment.?

The 22-year-old Revis, who declared for the N.F.L. after his junior season and was drafted No. 14, was ribbed by his teammates throughout the practice, which started early and lasted nearly three hours. They called him Rook and Big Time, though it is doubtful the second nickname will stick considering there were V.I.P. guests watching from the sideline who acted more entitled and arrogant than Revis.

?Actually, I don?t like the word Big Time,? Revis said. ?I?m a humble guy.?

Revis was not too proud to ask for help. Between plays, he could be seen conversing with Alphonso Hodge, a third-year cornerback who is trying to make the team as a free agent. A couple of times when he was on the field, he looked to Hodge for direction.

?He picks things up well,? Hodge said. ?You don?t see many levelheaded first rounders, and he?s one I?ve met who?s levelheaded.?

The first order of business for Revis was fielding punts, no easy way to begin. The flight of Ben Graham?s punts can be tricky, and many players, including Jets cornerback Justin Miller during his rookie season, have struggled to field them cleanly.

Revis, whose 73-yard punt return last year against West Virginia was selected the college football play of the year by ESPN, bobbled a few punts during the minicamp in June but handled every punt cleanly Sunday. ?I just focused,? he said.

Coach Eric Mangini said he was pleased with the way Revis was tackling the playbook. ?Darrell has come in with a fantastic attitude, which he?s always had, and he?s been extremely diligent here in the early days of trying to accelerate the learning process,? Mangini said.

The most confused Revis looked was during his news media briefing after practice when three people tried to ask him a question at the same time. ?Whoa,? he said, glancing uncertainly at the scrum of unfamiliar faces. ?Whoa.?

For Revis, after waiting three weeks to practice, the three-hour session felt like child?s play. ?Once I get on the field, I just feel comfortable,? he said. ?I just take it one play at a time and try to relax.?

EXTRA POINTS

Eric Mangini moved quickly to quell the debate raging on sports talk radio about who should be the Jets? starting quarterback in the wake of the two-interception first quarter Friday night by the incumbent, Chad Pennington. Kellen Clemens, who is Pennington?s backup, has been intercepted once but has thrown four touchdown passes in the first two games. Mangini reaffirmed Pennington as the starter in February and on Sunday he said, ?I?m really comfortable with that decision.? He added, ?I think Chad?s had an outstanding camp.? Pennington, who appeared in 26 plays in the 37-20 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, took the controversy in stride. ?If I start worrying about stuff like that, I?m not going to be able to perform,? he said. ?The bad thing in preseason is when you make a bad mistake like that, you don?t have a whole game to make up for it. You only have a series or two.? Pete Kendall, who has been the Jets? starting left guard the past four years, took more reps at center Sunday, two days after botching two snaps in the Jets? defeat. ?I thought this experiment has been tried and the results were in,? Kendall said. ... Justin Miller, who has been sidelined for more than a week with a strained hamstring, suited up and participated in the first 30 minutes of practice before going off by himself to work on his footwork and ride a stationary bike. ... The Hall of Fame basketball guard Clyde Drexler attended part of practice, watching with other V.I.P. guests.