Berger: Serving as middle man

[Sperm Edwards]

Serving as middle man

LG Kendall playing between rookies Ferguson, Mangold

Photo

Pete Kendall (Photo by Joe Rogate)

BY KEN BERGER

Newsday Staff Writer

July 31, 2006

When Pete Kendall was asked what it's like to have a rookie playing next to him on the Jets' revamped offensive line, he pounced on the punch line as though it were a fumble.

"Could you be more specific?" Kendall asked yesterday, still wearing his pads after practicing in blazing heat. "Which side?"

Kendall, the left guard, will be sandwiched between the Jets' two first-round picks, left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and center Nick Mangold.

How quickly the Jets become a functioning offense in coordinator Brian Schottenheimer's first season hinges, of course, on who will be playing quarterback. But as the Jets learned in such painful ways last year, the success, not to mention health, of the quarterback will be directly related to the line's performance. "It's clearly not where we would like it to be at this point," Kendall said.

The graybeard in the offensive line meetings now, Kendall already is seeing his leadership role expand in the absence of center Kevin Mawae. Ferguson, picked fourth overall, is still feeling his way. Mangold, the 29th pick, is adjusting to every aspect of NFL training camp while also wrestling with the mental calisthenics of calling the blocking schemes before every snap.

Kendall, fresh off a season in which he had to make the pre-snap calls as Mawae's replacement when the center got hurt, is speaking up as needed.

"It's not that defined to me yet - 'Pete, shut your mouth,' or 'Pete, make every call,' " Kendall said. "We're all sort of leaving it to Nick. And if I feel like I need to chime in on a particular play, or if this is kind of a funky look that's beyond the fundamentals right now or beyond the basics, then I will. But he's quite capable. He's a sharp kid."

Kendall hasn't been part of a center-tackle combination this inexperienced since his second year in the league with Seattle. Mawae, the center, was in his third year. Walter Jones, the left tackle, was a rookie. "That seemed to work out pretty well," Kendall said.

Kendall likes Ferguson's long arms and fluid lateral movement. He likes Mangold's willingness to ask questions.

"To have a solid rock that you can hold on to, as in Pete, it helps out a ton," Mangold said.

Kendall, 33, will have as big a role in grooming the future cornerstones of the Jets' line as any coach will this season. "These kids are talented kids," he said. "If all I have to do is say a word to get them going in the right direction, then we'll be fine."

Notes & quotes: Rookie TE Jason Pociask has missed the first three days with a shoulder injury, coach Eric Mangini said ... S Erik Coleman has been out with an undisclosed illness ... Mangini praised WR Jerricho Cotchery as "the most outstanding player in our offseason program. He has great potential." ... Mangini also is pleased with NT Sione Pouha, who lost 30 pounds by swearing off fast food and weighs about 300. Pouha was helped off the field with an injured right leg during the evening practice, but the injury doesn't appear to be serious. Copyright 2006 Newsday Inc.

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Pouha potential career is really on the line being that he is older so it is encouraging that he seems to be in better shape. We could really use someone to step in on the inside and perform well.