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Mehta: Coples Needs a Mean Streak


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Interesting article if only because an exact facsimile was written about Gholston the last summer he was here.

NY Jets linebacker Quinton Coples needs a mean streak

MANISH MEHTA

Yesterday, 10:51 PM

ROBERT SABO/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Jets are hoping Quinton Coples can turn into a dominant pass rusher to complement Mo Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson.

CORTLAND­ — The fire burns deep inside his 6-6, 270-pound self, he says with a wide smile. The desire, drive and hunger, too.

Quinton Coples is an enigma with tantalizing physical gifts, a nice guy who could use a little bit of nastiness to fulfill his destiny of becoming a dominant NFL pass rusher. He already has the skills. Now it’s time to put it all together.

“I do love the game and have a passion for the game,” Coples told the Daily News after practice on Sunday. “I don’t know if you categorize it as a nasty streak… or (being) a certain type of guy. I play hard and I just do my job.”

The question dances in Rex Ryan’s head probably every other minute at training camp: How incredibly frightening could the defense be if Coples maximizes his potential like fellow first-rounders Mo Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson?

The Jets finished in the middle of the pack with 41 sacks last season, but Coples can help transform Ryan’s pass rush into something special if he becomes a dependable force on the edge.

Coples endured growing pains in his transition from defensive end to outside linebacker last season for myriad reasons. A hairline fracture of his ankle in the second preseason game put him further behind, denting his confidence and playing with his psyche.

He played at 290 pounds, too heavy to master the various tasks at his new position. He spent too much time on the field thinking about his new job responsibilities and too little time using his natural abilities to his advantage.

“When you’re coming from college, there’s no position like that,” said defensive assistant Jeff Weeks. “But it’s a great one to have.”

Coples finished with 4½ sacks, 38 tackles and plenty of criticism in 14 games.

“He has the desire to be a great player,” defensive lineman Damon Harrison said. “He just has to be more consistent.”

Concerns about an inconsistent motor have trailed Coples for years. The Jets weren’t worried about Coples’ work ethic when they selected him out of North Carolina with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2012 draft. The Patriots took Chandler Jones, who had a team-high 11½ sacks last season, five spots later.

Ryan called out Coples for his disappointing effort in the weight room last year. Jets all-time great Joe Klecko said this summer that Coples “looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane” at times.

Coples has heard variations of the criticism before, but swears it doesn’t change his truth. “People are going to have their judgments,” he said.

Coples keeps it light on most days. It’s nearly impossible to erase the smile on his face. So, he’s not going to apologize for his easygoing disposition regardless of the public perception.

“That’s who I am,” the 24-year-old Coples said. “I’m proud of it. That’s the way God made me. People will talk bad stuff. I don’t really get caught up in what people think or what people say about me.”

Coples’ development in his third season would have a ripple effect that potentially mitigates a suspect secondary. A consistent pass rush will alleviate some of the pressure on the back end.

Veteran outside linebacker Calvin Pace found the fountain of youth last season with a career-high 10 sacks, but Ryan likely can’t count on another double-digit sack season.

He needs Coples, who had 10 sacks in his first two seasons, to make a significant jump.

“The guy was drafted in the first round for a reason,” said Harrison.

Ryan admitted that Coples’ play “has been off the charts these last couple of days” since veteran pass rusher Jason Babin arrived and started taking some of the third-year linebacker’s reps.

A lighter and leaner Coples (less than 9% body fat) says he feels more comfortable and confident on the edge these days, creating more fluidity in his game. He’s thinking less, doing more.

Now, it’s time to put on his mean face and go for the kill.

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Interesting article if only because an exact facsimile was written about Gholston the last summer he was here.

 

Manish right here,, this has Been Que's issue since High School and w/Butch at Chapel Hill. 

Saw signs at UNC he was getting more consistent and some in NFL,,BUT in NFL it has to be every freakin play

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Are we really trying to draw comparisons between Gholston and Coples?

Gholston career stats, three years: 5 starts, 16 tackles, nothing registered in any other category.

Coples career stats, two years: 15 starts, 46 tackles, 10 sacks, 5 passes defensed, 1 forced fumble.

Basically the same player.

#ManishShane

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Are we really trying to draw comparisons between Gholston and Coples?

Gholston career stats, three years: 5 starts, 16 tackles, nothing registered in any other category.

Coples career stats, two years: 15 starts, 46 tackles, 10 sacks, 5 passes defensed, 1 forced fumble.

Basically the same player.

#ManishShane

 

Coples has talent, Gholston didnt. But the comparisons to their makeup are valid.

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I HOPE he wasnt makin comparisons,, that would be idiotic,,

I was assuming tom meant 'from a nasty edge EVERY play POV', not talent

Yes.

The same article, with the same conclusion (consistency/mean streak), was written about Gholston. I'm certainly not making the direct comparison; only in reference to both players having issues with motivation.

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The season that Idzik got here, Mehta was going on about how Rex should have been fired, then after the 8-8 season, he praises Rex...

 

Mehta is useless.

 

Comparison of Coples and Gholston is ridiculous. Coples did more in each of his first 2 seasons than Gholston did in his entire career combined.

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Of course it is. Gholston was never into football...and the Coples motivation questions have gone back to his college days. He's been an inconsistent player and has habits of loafing.

 

Between season 1 and season 2, they switched him from DE to OLB. Between the injury and the position switch, he didn't have a great year but it wasn't awful either. Have you seen him lately? It looks like he spent the offseason slimming down and getting his body into a place where he can play OLB better. I'm not suggesting that alone should erase all of our fears about motivation, but it's certainly more than Gholston ever did.

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Yes.

The same article, with the same conclusion (consistency/mean streak), was written about Gholston. I'm certainly not making the direct comparison; only in reference to both players having issues with motivation.

 

how can we tell coples is properly motivated ?

 

mean face ?

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How's Holmes doing these days?

 

Chilling, waiting for Danny Amendola to get injured in Training Camp and then getting signed with the Pats and helping them get back to the Super Bowl.

 

How's your boo Matt Lienart doing?

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Also, what Coples really needs is not to play OLB.

 

He doesnt have enough moves to play on the inside....he's a one move guy. I just dont know if he's athletic enough to play the outside either though....the weight loss seems like a last ditch effort before we move on.

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He doesnt have enough moves to play on the inside....he's a one move guy. I just dont know if he's athletic enough to play the outside either though....the weight loss seems like a last ditch effort before we move on.

 

Perhaps he hasn't quite lived up to his billing yet, but I'm not overly concerned. He might not have been anything special yet, but he's been productive enough IMO.

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Remember when we could have a conversation about Jets players on here without a select group of radical homers circling the wagons around said player like he was their newborn child?

I remember when we could have a conversation without you pissing on everything.

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shane threads

 

(the teams #1 fan mind you)

 

- 26. New York Jets

- Final tally: The Jets go 7-9, but it was a gritty 7-9 and Pete Carroll went 7-9 once.

Calvin Pryor: "We hate the Pats and Giants"

 

 

sorry for the crazy colors and fonts

 

but shane, stop trolling and posters may take you seriously

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I remember when we could have a conversation without you pissing on everything.

 

Ah yeah, back when this was a cool place to post.  Miss those days.

 

shane threads

 

(the teams #1 fan mind you)

 

- 26. New York Jets

- Final tally: The Jets go 7-9, but it was a gritty 7-9 and Pete Carroll went 7-9 once.

Calvin Pryor: "We hate the Pats and Giants"

 

 

sorry for the crazy colors and fonts

 

but shane, stop trolling and posters may take you seriously

 

Weird

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