Geno Smith is one of the many rookies trying to make a successful transition from the college football ranks into the NFL. The only issue is that he is making the jump on the most heavily publicized team in the league. Smith has been under the spotlight as he competes with veteran Mark Sanchez for a chance to the starting quarterback and he feels like he already made plenty of progress since getting signed.
Smith is transitioning into an NFL player, but he is also transitioning into a different style of offense. While at West Virginia, Smith ran a spread offense. Now with the Jets, he is expected to learn a more West Coast-style offense created by coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. Smith feels like the move is going well so far after having completed OTAs and minicamp with New York. He told the NFL Network he has made big strides in his short time on the team.
"I've already made a giant leap. Coming from a spread system where the biggest transition for me is going to be the footwork. It's not as if I can't do it, it's the fact that I haven't done it enough. The good amount of reps that I got in rookie camp, minicamp, OTAs has helped me make that leap and transition and make giants strides. I was able to get in with the first team and do some really good things," smith said.
Mornhinweg has said that it will be key for Smith to understand the new style of offense before he can even think about moving up as the starting quarterback. Center Nick Mangold echoed those thoughts saying that Smith would have to "work his butt off" in order to earn the starting spot over Sanchez. The returning quarterback has been in a West Coast-style offense since college and already has multiple years of experience over Smith in that area.
"Mark had a little bit better idea of the ideas and of seeing things, which are things Geno is going to have to work his butt off on," Mangold said.
The only way that Smith starts over Sanchez is if he can prove that he will not create 52 turnovers in 31 starts. Turnovers will likely be a deciding factor in this scrutinized competition. Even if Smith looks rusty on his knowledge, if the skillset is there, he wins.
