Eager Jets excited about new season as they report to first camp under Rex Ryan

Jets report to camp in new site with fresh outlook

CORTLAND, N.Y. — Mark Sanchez stepped off one of the team buses in front of the New York Jets’ dormitory, a big pillow in one hand and a travel bag in another.

“I slept the whole way,” the rookie quarterback said Thursday with a big smile. “I saw a little bit of the countryside up here. It’s going to be fun.”

The Jets’ players and coaches made the nearly four-hour and 200-mile trek from their training facility in lush, green Florham Park, N.J., to even-greener Cortland in upstate New York for the start of training camp.

“It’s a beautiful area,” Sanchez said, “and something I’ve never experienced, being from Southern California.”

All the rookies had to take one of the two team buses, while the veterans were allowed to drive and find their way to the sprawling SUNY Cortland campus. The first training camp under new coach Rex Ryan is also the first time since 1967 that the Jets will be spending the summer somewhere other than Hofstra University.

“We just have us,” guard Alan Faneca said. “At Hofstra, guys had places, so you could run for a little bit. Here, during your free time, you’re forced to spend time with me. That creates a bond, I think. It’s always good for team building.”

The quaint town with a population of just under 19,000 — nicknamed the “Crown City” — rolled out the welcome mat for the Jets, with team banners lining the streets leading to SUNY Cortland.

“I had a vision for what I wanted our training camp to be and look like and the feel for it,” Ryan said, “and I think this really, maybe exceeds what my expectations were.”

Ryan would be thrilled if he could say the same about his team, which he is already holding to lofty levels.

“We’re heading into camp preparing to establish our brand,” wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery said. “It’s going to be a physical brand of football, so we’re going to beat each other up each and every day. When it’s time to get ready to play other teams, we can release some of that frustration out on others.”

Ryan’s top priority in camp is finding out who his starting quarterback will be as Sanchez and veteran Kellen Clemens compete for the opportunity. Ryan said Clemens will start camp listed as No. 1 on the depth chart, followed by Sanchez and Erik Ainge.

“Obviously, we’re going to give Sanchez the chance to be with the 1’s, as well,” Ryan said. “I would say that it will be an open competition and we’ll evaluate them everyday. We’ll then make the best decision.”

Clemens is entering his fourth season in offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer’s system, so he has an early advantage. But, the Jets traded up in the draft to take Sanchez with the No. 5 overall pick, a clear indicator that the team expects him to be the future of the franchise. And some fans and members of the media believe that future will be sooner rather than later.

“We’re excited about his future, and we’ll see,” Ryan said. “Whether he starts now or he starts whenever, that’s fine.”

Another key issue for the Jets will be finding a No. 2 wide receiver to complement Cotchery. That will likely come from a relatively unproven group that includes Chansi Stuckey, Brad Smith, David Clowney and Wallace Wright.

“I feel like the receivers we’ve got are just fine,” Clowney said. “Just because we don’t have a big-name guy that you hear about everyday, doesn’t mean you don’t have a No. 2 receiver. We have a No. 1 receiver, a No. 2, No. 3 and a No. 4 receiver. We’ll just go out there and make it happen every week.”

Only one player — running back Leon Washington — failed to show when the team reported Thursday. Washington, a Pro Bowl selection last season as a kick returner, is embroiled in a contract dispute, and could face team fines for each day he doesn’t report. He’s due to earn $535,000 this season, the final year of his rookie deal. He’s believed to be looking for about $6 million a year.

Washington’s teammates insist the running back’s situation won’t be a distraction as they prepare for the season.

“One of the things you have to understand with that is, whatever reason that Leon has to stay at home, we are going to grant him the respect in letting him take care of that,” nose tackle Kris Jenkins said. “Now at the same time, we’re going to hope that once he gets all that stuff taken care of that he’ll be here and ready to go.”

Meanwhile, the Jets are eager to get started — beginning with Friday’s two practices — and erase the bad memories of last year’s 1-4 finish in which they missed the playoffs and cost coach Eric Mangini his job.

“I expect it to be fun, but with the emotions and with everything that happened last year, everyone’s mind is set on making it happen this year,” Cotchery said. “I don’t know if there will be too many fights, but there are going to be some very competitive days.”