Westhoff Express

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Westhoff Express Stops at Kearny HS

Posted by Eric Allen on May 25, 2011 – 12:07 pm

If you live in the New York area long enough, you’re bound to see someone you know on a train. It could be a friend, relative, business associate or it might even be a New York Jet. Sure the Jets fly, but most frequently ride the train as well and that list includes special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff.

“I met a gentleman, believe it or not, on the train going into the city,” Westhoff told me outside Kearny High School in New Jersey this week. “He knew who I was and he got talking about things. I guess he had read an article in the paper about I gave a talk at a high school (Daytop) out in Mendham and he asked me if I would consider doing it here. I said, ‘It’s not something I go about doing very often.’”

But Westhoff, one of the league’s most respected coaches, agreed to speak to a large group of students inside a crowded auditorium. A gifted teacher in his own right, he took over the room and captivated the crowd after a short video introduction.

“What I try to do is relate with the guys that I deal with in my room who are not necessarily the all-stars of your football team. How do they get to a point of relative obscurity to making a team, to travel from a spot to a spot? (It’s) not unlike maybe what these kids are trying to do.

“That’s how I try to relate it and then I took some questions. They were great. It’s not easy because you have a multi-interested crowd, but they were pretty good. It was a good experience and fun for me, so I certainly enjoyed it.”

As May speeds to an end, summer will soon be upon us and many students are excited about the prospect of closing the books for a few weeks. But Westhoff reminded the teens that education is important in all walks of life.

“Whether it’s my guys and the rules they have to learn, the plays and understanding them and knowing them. However you look at a realm of education — whether it’s in football or in a high school — what it means by understanding it and getting the most out of it.”

One of the most poignant moments of the day came when Westhoff told the students that he was an up-and-coming assistant coach with the Dolphins at 40 when he was diagnosed with bone cancer. The 63-year-old Westhoff, who did have aspirations to become a head coach, underwent more than ten surgeries to leap past his medical obstacles and has proven himself to be more powerful than any locomotive throughout his illustrious career.

“We all don’t get everything exactly the way we want it,” he said. “ Life is not completely fair in any way, shape or form, but make the most out of it and to make the most out of your opportunity. “

WESTY ADDRESSESS FAN QUESTIONS

Our ever-growing following on the Jets’ Facebook page came up with a few questions for Westhoff as well. As expected, the NFL kickoff change from to the 30-yard-line to the 35 continues to be a hot topic.

“We’ll still be prepared to return the ball and of course after you kick it, cover it. The kickoff return has been a gigantic thing for the New York Jets — I’m very proud of it,” Westhoff said. “So we’ll have to re-tool our thinking and do some things a little differently, but there will not be as many returns. There’s no question.”

The difference could be dramatic. Westhoff estimates you could see an increase of touchbacks from 1.6 out of 10 to 4 out of 10.

“Last year it was 16 percent of the time that kicks resulted in touchbacks. That will go as high as I’m going to guess as 40 percent — we’ll see,” he said.

Always the innovator, Westhoff has plans in place for the latest league alteration.

“You’re only allowed to set a two-man wedge and it will be deeper. There will be a different type of return run,” he said. “I have a whole different philosophy than I think maybe some other people will have about what’s going to be successful. I’m going to be prepared to execute that — I’ve already drawn that up and we’ve already got it ready to go.”

Conversely Westhoff is excited about more opportunities to pin opposition deep in their own end. The Jets have excelled on coverage during Westhoff’s tenure and there is no reason to think that won’t continue in 2011.

“We had the third best kickoff coverage in the NFL last year — Nick (Folk) averaged kicking the ball to the five. Well if that ball now goes to the goal line, we’re moving five yards up,” he said. “If we can maintain a particular level of aggressiveness, maybe it will become difficult for our opponents to even get to the 20. A touchback might be a good play for them.

“There’s some different thinking and trust me — we’ve pounded it all around pretty good. I’m looking forward to it. It definitely limits something we’ve done exceptionally well here and that I am concerned with, but we’ll have some wrinkles.”

And it was no surprise to hear that Westhoff was pleased that the Jets added a dangerous special teams weapon in the draft. TCU wideout Jeremy Kerley was the first non-kicker to earn Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year honors as a junior and then he went out again and claimed the award as a senior.

“I had him rated highly. I think he’ll be our punt returner,” Westhoff said, “and he’ll have some other roles.”

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Westy is such an awesome coach, it's already a major disappointment that this will be his last year with the team. Got to give the guy tons of credit for everything he's gone through and still doing this job, but it also sucks that his health has clearly been part of what kept him from ever getting a real shot at a head coaching gig. Frankly, I would've been more than happy to have him as this team's head coach over either Herm or Mangini. But either way, definitely glad the Jets have had him for all of these years. Am I the only one kind of excited to see what he has in store when talking about all of his new plans for the rule changes effecting special teams?

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We’ll see if Westy actually retires. I read an article about that back when he announced it. He really didn’t seem like he wanted to, but his son was pressuring him to for his health.

Guys like Westhoff that really love football have a real hard time leaving it. This could be like last time. He retires, sits home for a few months then begs to come back