C Nick Mangold (All American, B1G Champion, National Champion, 7x Pro-bowler)

[Buckskin86]

August 18, 2009
Jets injured players slowly returning to field

By MARK CANNIZZARO

CORTLAND _ Good morning from Cortland.

More good news for the Jets: Center Nick Mangold, who's been nursing a left knee injury suffered in practice last week, is in uniform for this morning's practice, leading you to believe that he'll play against the Ravens next Monday night. We'll wait fo0pr Rex Ryan to confirm that later, but that has to be good news for Mark Sanchez, who'll start against the Ravens and needs all the help up front he can get.

Jets injured players slowly returning to field - Jets Blog

 

[Buckskin86]

J

ets notebook: Nick Mangold to start Monday's preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens
by Dave Hutchinson/The Star-Ledger
Tuesday August 18, 2009

William Perlman/The Star-Ledger
Nick Mangold (l., with ball) and Alan Faneca watch practice last week from the sidelines. Mangold returned from a knee injury Tuesday and will start Monday's preseason game.

CORTLAND, N.Y. -- Center Nick Mangold (knee), who returned to practice Tuesday on a limited basis, will start against the Ravens Monday, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. He spoke on the condition of anonymity because he's not authorized to speak on the matter. Mangold suffered a bruised right knee a week ago.

Jets notebook: Nick Mangold to start Monday's preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens - NJ.com

 

[Buckskin86]

NY Jets center Nick Mangold expects to return to lineup Monday
by Dave Hutchinson/The Star-Ledger
Wednesday August 19, 2009

William Perlman/The Star-Ledger
The Jets are happy they'll have center Nick Mangold in the lineup when they take on the ferocious Baltimore defense in Monday's preseason game.

CORTLAND, N.Y. -- After going against a replica of the Baltimore Ravens' dynamic defense for the past three weeks, the Jets offensive line will get a taste of the original in Monday night's nationally televised preseason clash in Baltimore.

It's a matchup that'll likely have a regular-season feel to it with Jets coach Rex Ryan's new defense and his old defense vying for his stamp of approval.

The good news for the Jets is that Pro Bowl center Nick Mangold will be in the starting lineup. He practiced full-go yesterday after missing nine days with a bruised right knee.


Mangold's presence is expected to be crucial as the Jets try to protect rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez, who'll be making his first NFL start in the face of perhaps the most intimidating blitz scheme in the NFL.

''He's the best center in football,'' said Ryan, who hasn't officially announced that Mangold will start but has strongly hinted at it. ''He's a guy that if you're playing against the Ravens, you better have somebody who knows what he's doing in there, not saying that (backup Rob) Turner doesn't, but you have to be on top of everything.

''You're going to see a lot of movement. You're going to see multi-fronts and blitzes and everything else. Hopefully, he'll be able to play Monday night and the way he's progressing that's a definite possibility.''

Mangold, a fourth-year pro, came out of Wednesday's double sessions ''feeling pretty good.'' His ability to read different fronts and call out the correct blocking assignments in the critical seconds before the snap is invaluable.

''It's definitely a comfort level having Nick in there,'' said veteran right guard Brandon Moore. ''I'm looking forward to him being back. He was back today and you could tell there's a difference when he's in there.''

NY Jets center Nick Mangold expects to return to lineup Monday - NJ.com

 

[Buckskin86]

HIGH PRAISE: C Nick Mangold (bruised right knee) hopes to play Monday against the Ravens. Even if he doesn't, Ryan says he knows what he has at center. He called Mangold "the best center in football."

"That's mighty kind of him," Mangold said. "I haven't even played a game for him yet. It's good having that confidence come from above. I'm working to get there and I know that there's a bunch of other guys out there playing that are probably better than I am. It gives me something to strive for."

SUNY-Cortland makes fine training camp home for Jets coach Rex Ryan

 

[Buckskin86]

Nick Mangold

As a Buckeye

2002 to 2005, earning All-America honors as a senior

As a pro

A first-round draft pick of the New York Jets in 2006, he has started every game since and made his first Pro Bowl after last season.

The skinny

The sky's the limit for Mangold, who recently was named the best run-blocker in the league in a complicated system used by ESPN Insider.

The Columbus Dispatch : OSU ON SUNDAY

 

[Buckskin86]

Friday, September 25, 2009
Mangold is solid as man in middle of Jets' O-line
By DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
The Associated Press

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. ? Nick Mangold was in seventh grade when he started on the path to becoming one of the NFL's best centers.

FILE -- This is a Sept. 13, 2009, file photo showing New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez (6) and center Nick Mangold (74) during the fourth quarter of a NFL football game against the Houston Texans, in Houston. Jets coach Rex Ryan couldn't imagine anyone but Mangold anchoring his offensive line. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

The center on his junior high school team broke a hand and the coach desperately needed someone to snap the ball.

"I said, 'Shoot, I'll try,'" Mangold said. "I've been a center ever since."

Mangold doesn't remember that poor kid's name, but the New York Jets and coach Rex Ryan sure are happy about that lucky break.

"He's the best center in the league," Ryan said. "I wouldn't trade him for another center in this league."

Mangold is in his fourth season with New York, already has a Pro Bowl appearance on his resume, and has taken nearly every offensive snap since being drafted 29th overall in 2006.

"Yeah, I've been fortunate," Mangold said. "I've got to go knock on some wood now."

For the Jets, Mangold has been the reliable man in the middle of a solid offensive line that includes former Pro Bowl selections left guard Alan Faneca and right tackle Damien Woody, promising left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, and steady right guard Brandon Moore.

"He's the anchor," said Woody, a former Pro Bowl center. "He can anchor it down and really hold down the fort inside."

Oh, and he's also one of the real characters on a unit filled with them.

"He's a complainer," Faneca said with a big grin. "And if you ask him, he would probably say he'd agree. It's just his nature."

So, Nick?

"I'd have to concur," Mangold said, laughing. "I don't complain in a bad way, though. I just like to make sure every little thing is voiced. I'm not as bad as Brandon Moore, though. He's the king of complainers. I'm the court jester."

The 6-foot-4, 305-pound Mangold is also one of the more recognizable guys on the field, even with his helmet on. With his blond locks flowing to his shoulders, Mangold looks like a figure out of Norse mythology.

"I like that hair," Ryan said with a smile. "It's good."

Mangold said it's not a Samson-like thing, but he hasn't had a real cut in about three years.

"I just like it long and I can't come to grips with cutting it," he said. "I figure, I have it and somewhere along the line I won't have it, so I might as well enjoy it while it's still here."

He also got some TV time during Super Bowl week, appearing on "Rachael Ray" in a cooking contest with other NFL players. His beanless chili recipe lost to Jacksonville quarterback David Garrard's Buffalo chicken dip.

"I got screwed," Mangold said, laughing. "Anybody and everybody has had a Buffalo chicken dip before. I'm hoping I'll get a chance for revenge."

Ferguson, the fourth overall pick in 2006, struck up a friendship with Mangold at the Senior Bowl. Mangold even had Ferguson in his wedding party a few years ago.

"He's got such a great personality," Ferguson said. "I was like, 'Man, this is a really cool dude.' We clicked even before we knew we were going to be drafted together."

Despite all the levity, the unit has been all business on Sundays as one of the league's best while the Jets seek to establish a ground-and-pound style of offense.

"With Nick, we're able to do things that some of the smaller guys aren't able to do," Woody said. "Sometimes we ask Nick to block guys one on one and a lot of times, you don't see that with centers. A lot of times, they need help. We're able to change up our scheme accordingly."

Mangold has been called for very few penalties in his career while also handling the line calls.

"He can do it all," Ryan said.

Mangold is solid as man in middle of Jets' O-line ?| ajc.com

 

[Buckskin86]

Mangold, 6-4, 305 pounds, is called ??Man-neca?? because he and Faneca are inseparable. A starter as a rookie, he?s smart, athletic and explosive. He?s a force in the run game and screen game.

??The thing about Nick is he has great balance,?? said Moore. ??You don?t see him getting thrown around. He?s smart and has great hands. He?s great at locking his hands on an opponent.??

Offensive line coach Bill Callahan, a former head coach with the Raiders and at Nebraska, is the brains of the operation. The Jets are doing more zone blocking this season, which requires more precision and allows the running back to pick his hole, and often use tackle Rob Turner in ??jumbo packages.??

???Cally? is one of the smartest people I know,?? said Mangold. ??The best thing he does is translate things from his head to us, sort of dumb it down. A lot of people know what to do but they don?t know how to tell somebody what to do.??

Whether breaking bread or bursting open holes, NY Jets offensive linemen are a tight bunch | New York Jets - - NJ.com

 

[Buckskin86]

Colts lead PFW's Midseason All-Pro team
Posted Nov. 10, 2009
By Keith Schleiden

C Nick Mangold/Jets ? Mangold leads a strong offensive line that has keyed one of the NFL's more productive rushing attacks. Having started every game of his career since entering the NFL as a first-round pick in 2006, Mangold is considered an up-and-comer with many Pro Bowls in his future.

ProFootballWeekly.com - Colts lead PFW's Midseason All-Pro team

 

[Buckskin86]

Serby's Sunday Q & A with... Nick Mangold
November 15, 2009

The Post?s Steve Serby chatted with the Jets center about the Mark Sanchez hot dog incident, the good and bad traits of his linemates, and much more.
.
Q: The difference between the hands of Chad Pennington, Brett Favre and Mark Sanchez under your butt?.
.
A: Being from Southern California, Mark moisturizes more (smiles) . . . Let?s see here, Chad was very deliberate. It was like the same spot every time. He was very methodical about it. Brett was just willy-nilly, ?I?ll put ?em wherever I want, you have to give me the ball.? And Mark?s like a combination of both..

Q: What did you think of Sanchez eating the hot dog on the sideline?

A: I?m pro-hot dog . . . pro-hot dog on the sideline.

Q: That?s your platform?

A: That is my platform that I?ll be running on. Because if I could get my hands on a hot dog on the sideline, I?d be a happy camper. And I wouldn?t even try to hide it. But I?d go ketchup and onions.

Q: So you?d be in favor of a barbecue grill on the sidelines?

A: Nah, that?d be too much smoke during the game.

Q: How about a vendor on the sidelines?

A: A vendor on the sideline would be very handy.

Q: Your offensive linemates? Let?s start with Brandon Moore.

A: I love being around him, but he is one of the most negative people I think I know. I?ve seen him send back a Diet Coke, ?cause he didn?t think it was right. He?s got like a little wave motion ? it?s called the Meat Hand. His nickname?s Meat, and I?ll let you ask him about that, ?cause I?m not getting into that. (He?ll say), ?Ahh, no, no, no, we?re not doing this, we?re not doing that. You know when the Meat Hand comes out, it?s not being done (chuckles). That ends it.

Q: Alan Faneca?

A: He?s a copycat. He?s trying to do the long hair, the facial-hair thing that I?ve made great in New York, and he?s just trying to follow along with that.

Q: Your wife Jenny likes that look?

A: At times. Other times she yells at me. One of the joys of married life, I believe.

Q: D?Brickashaw Ferguson?

A: Brick is funny ?cause he?s cheap . . . he?s a cheap individual. And I love him for it, but sometimes it just gets awkward.

Q: An example?

A: We went out for dinner one night, and unbeknownst to me, I was expecting someone else to pay ? an unnamed rookie, with a very huge contract. No one told me that Brick had planned the dinner, and it was Brick?s idea, and Brick was paying. They all knew what wine I was ordering . . . I got no nudge that said, ?Hey, Brick?s paying, you might just want to get a glass and let Brick decide.? It ended up being three bottles of wine. Nothing extraordinary . . . but it was very good wine. And everyone at the table ? probably 10 or 11 of us ? said that it was very good wine. I don?t think he talked to me for a couple of days because he had that wine on his bill.

Q: Damien Woody?

A: He?s always got his hand in some sort of cookie jar ? both literally and figuratively.

Q: Driving Sanchez to a Dave Matthews concert?

A: Not only did he fall asleep on the way into the city, he also fell asleep on the way out, just like a little kid. You put ?em in a car, they fall right asleep? That?s Mark Sanchez.

Q: Dirty play in the trenches?

A: I?ve heard horror stories of eye-gouging . . . spitting. I forget who it was, but there was somebody who would brush his teeth Friday morning, and then wouldn?t brush them ?til after the game.

Q: A defensive lineman?

A: That?s a given.

Read more: Serby's Sunday Q & A with... Nick Mangold

 

[Buckskin86]

Nick Mangold, heart of NY Jets' offensive line, making unconventional draft day decision look good
By Dave Hutchinson/The Star Ledger
December 20, 2009

Chris Faytok/The Star-Ledger
Nick Mangold

As the Jets? turn late in the first round of the 2006 draft approached, director of player personnel Terry Bradway feverishly worked the war room ? campaigning for the team to select Ohio State center Nick Mangold with the 29th overall pick.

It was a bit of an unconventional move. Just a few hours earlier, the Jets had taken left tackle D?Brickashaw Ferguson fourth overall and there was a sentiment against taking another offensive lineman in the first round. Other options ? Memphis running back DeAngelo Williams and UCLA tight end Mercedes Lewis ? were still on the board and being discussed by the Jets? decision-makers.

But Bradway, armed with impressive game tape from Mangold?s days as a Buckeye and a stellar Senior Bowl week showing, was convinced Mangold was their guy and was ready to stake his reputation on it.

?Center is an underrated position until you don?t have one,? said Bradway, who knew the Jets had parted ways with veteran Pro Bowl center Kevin Mawae after the 2005 season and only had free agent Norm Katnik left at that position. ?A lot of people take the position for granted. I was just concerned because we didn?t have a legitimate center and all the good teams I?ve been associated with had one.

?We had Mawae here for all those years. In Kansas City, we had Tim Grunhard. With the Gaints, we had Bart Oates. I felt strongly it was an area we had to address. I didn?t want us to get stuck without a center.?

Turns out, the dominoes fell into place for the Jets, who opted not to trade up. Carolina took Williams at 27, Lewis went to Jacksonville at 28 and the Jets selected Mangold at 29.

Four seasons later, Mangold is a fixture in the middle of one of the NFL?s best offensive lines. When the Jets (7-6) meet the Atlanta Falcons (6-7) Sunday afternoon at the Meadowlands in weather conditions that could be less than ideal, they will lean heavily on a group that has cleared the way for the league?s top rushing attack (169.1 yards per game).

?I have to give Terry all the credit? for Mangold, general manager Mike Tannenbaum said. ?We had already drafted an offensive lineman at four. But Terry kept jumping up and down saying we had to get Mangold. He wouldn?t stop.

?After the pick, the phone rings and it?s (Ravens GM) Ozzie Newsome. He said they were ready to take Mangold at 12 but they went with (nose tackle) Haloti Ngata. He said, ?Congratulations, you got the 12th best player in the draft on our board.? "

At 25, Mangold is at the heart of the action up front. He earned his first Pro Bowl berth last year and is considered by many to be the top center in the NFL. He?s a shoo-in for his second Pro Bowl appearance after this season.

?It?s nice to get that type of recognition,? said Mangold, who, despite an illness that kept him out of practice this past week, will start his 62nd consecutive game Sunday. ?Last year, (Patriots nose tackle) Vince Wilford came up to me after the game and said, ?You?re a heck of a player.? That really struck home for me. I think he?s one of the best nose tackles in the game.?

Mangold, at 6-4 and 305 pounds, is athletic, powerful and smart. He can play in the trenches or in space. He has uncanny balance and knows how to get leverage on his opponent. He?s a leader. His attention to detail helps set him apart.

?Every couple of weeks you can see something new he has put into his game,? said Alan Faneca, the Jets? eight-time Pro Bowl left guard. ?You need those little tricks of the trade.?

?He?s a beast,? said Jets linebacker Bart Scott. ?He?s the best center I?ve ever played against and I?ve played against some great centers ? Mawae, Matt Birk, Jeff Saturday.

?Nick is strong, has great feet and is explosive. And he?s smart, too. He has everything you can think of when you think about great centers.?

When Mangold arrived at Ohio State, his play at center only had to be refined.

?Nick could?ve played any position,? said Jim Bollman, Ohio State?s offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. ?Most guys you get out of high school have to be taught to play center. He already knew the mechanics of the position. That was a big, big advantage.?

Nick Mangold, heart of NY Jets' offensive line, making unconventional draft day decision look good | New York Jets - - NJ.com

 

[Buckskin86]

NY Jets CB Darrelle Revis , LG Alan Faneca and C Nick Mangold are Pro Bowlers; RB Thomas Jones overlooked
By Dave Hutchinson/The Star Ledger
December 29, 2009

To the surprise of no one, cornerback Darrelle Revis and center Nick Mangold were named to the Pro Bowl this evening as starters. It's the second consecutive selection for both players but their first as starters.

Mangold, in his fourth season, is the engine that drives the league's No. 1 rushing offense. He's considered by many to be the top center in the game and will likely be a fixture in the Pro Bowl for years to come.

The former Ohio State star is the total package. He's smart, strong, explosive and can play in space.

NY Jets CB Darrelle Revis , LG Alan Faneca and C Nick Mangold are Pro Bowlers; RB Thomas Jones overlooked | New York Jets - - NJ.com

 

[Buckskin86]

Domata Peko will try to stifle Nick Mangold, New York Jets ground game
By Joe Reedy ? [email protected] ? January 8, 2010

CINCINNATI - The Bengals get their top run stopper back for Saturday's AFC wild-card game against the Jets - and not a moment too soon.

Domata Peko has missed the last five games after injuring his right knee Nov. 22 against Oakland. He came back to play the following week against Cleveland, but the knee got worse. He had arthroscopic surgery Dec. 7 and has been practicing the last two weeks.

The matchup against Nick Mangold, who is from Centerville, is nothing new. The players battled each other for years in the Big Ten when Mangold was at Ohio State and Peko at Michigan State.

"Mangold gained a lot of my respect, looking at him play last week against us," Peko said. "I'm excited and I can't wait for this challenge. I am not going to back down from anybody. I'm ready to go."

Mangold anchors a Jets offensive line that has had the same five starters for 32 straight games, the longest current streak in the league. Besides Mangold, left guard Alan Faneca is a Pro Bowler and right guard Brandon Moore is one of the more unsung linemen in the league.

Domata Peko will try to stifle Nick Mangold, New York Jets ground game | cincinnati.com | Cincinnati.Com

 

[Steve19]

Great to see these glowing reviews of Nick's work in the pros. A great ambassador for Ohio State football.

 

[Colvinnl]

Great to see these glowing reviews of Nick's work in the pros. A great ambassador for Ohio State football.

Hard to root against Nick but I sure hope he is off his game today...the Bengals really need their DTs to perform well if they are going to win.

 

[Buckskin86]

Story of Alter grad, now New York Jet Mangold a winner
By Tom Archdeacon, Staff Writer
Sunday, January 10, 2010

CINCINNATI ? Nick Mangold was still in the showers. The New York Jets had just knocked the Cincinnati Bengals out of the playoffs 24-14 at Paul Brown Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 9, and their 305-pound Pro Bowl center from Alter High School was letting the victory soak in.

Across the locker room, his fellow linemates ? guard Brandon Moore and tackle Damien Woody ? decided to talk for him.

?We love him, but I gotta tell you, he?s a terrible storyteller,? Woody grinned. ?He never gets to the point.?

Moore nodded: ?His timing?s off. He?s long winded. But I?ll give him this, he tries and tries.?

A few minutes later Mangold showed up, pulled on faded blue jeans with the frayed back pocket, a white Polo shirt with an unbuttoned, button-down collar, boots with no socks and a black New York Yankees cap, backwards, and then held court:

?This feels fantastic. This good Ohio air was refreshing. It?s awesome to be able to come home, though I didn?t actually get (to Centerville, his hometown), but just knowing I?m on Ohio soil is a good feeling.?

He?s a Jet veteran now and a good New Yorker, too, said Moore: ?Oh yeah, he fits right in. He?s a wine connoisseur, a real city guy.

But he?s a back home boy, too, and he cut his postgame remarks short to go see his family.

Along with mom Therese and dad Vern ? who wore a white Jets hard hat ? there was Domsitz, Nick?s wife Jenny, her parents and his sister Maggie, too: ?She?s 10, she?s the miniature Mangold ... if you can call a Mangold sibling miniature.?

Story of Alter grad, now New York Jet Mangold a winner

?I was a big Bengals fan growing up. Big Daddy Wilkinson (the Dunbar High grad and OSU star who was a Bengals defensive lineman in the mid 1990s) was awesome.?

Nick?s dad, Vern Mangold ? who wore a leather Jets jacket and a white Jets hard hat ? said his son liked the Bengals because ?they were his hometown team, he heard about them at school every day and he read about them in the newspaper.?

But he admitted: ?I don?t think if you cut him he would have bled Bengals all the way.?

Vern said his boy might have been swayed toward the Washington Redskins, too:

?My wife (Therese) is from Washington, D.C. and she was a Redskins fan. We got married in 1980 and, you know, blood?s thicker than water. So I became a Redskins fan. I still have my Hog?s nose in a drawer at home. I know the fight song and we used to throw Redskins parties.

?And Nick, he loves his mother dearly, so he probably liked the ?Skins, too.?

Now the whole Mangold clan are Jets fans and their son is one of the NFL?s premier centers, just as he was an All Ohio stand-out at Alter High, too.

?When I came to Alter, he was a sophomore and you could tell then he was good,? said Domsitz ?He had that aggressiveness, quick feet and a real work ethic. Put that with his size and you had a real football player.?

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