Add the West Virginia University football program to the list of things New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan isn't fond of.
Ryan was fuming Monday after word came out that Geno Smith's teammates at WVU criticized the leadership of last year's team in an interview with the Pittsburgh-Tribune Review. Ryan came to the defense of his rookie quarterback, who is currently battling incumbent Mark Sanchez for the reins to start when the Jets open up the season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 8.
Smith wasn't mentioned in the article by name, but since he was the quarterback Ryan felt as though he was shouldering the blame. Ryan insisted that he's glad his son never went to the school. Ryan's son, Seth, is a walk-on at Clemson in his freshman year.
"It tells me I'm glad my kid never went there, I can tell you that much," said Ryan according to ESPN. "I don't get that. Geno was a tremendous player for West Virginia."
Smith went 369-for-518 in his senior year at signal caller for the Mountaineers in 2012 with 4,205 passing yards for 42 touchdowns and six interceptions while also rushing for 151 yards on 66 attempts for two touchdowns. Still, the team started off with a 5-0 record, but finished a measly 6-7.
Ryan went on in Smith's defense and seemed uncertain about why the Jets second round draft pick's former teammates would say anything negative about the team.
"I don't know, you have to ask them," Ryan said according to ESPN. "I certainly don't get that. When somebody leaves your [school] I guess that's up to them. You have to ask them."
Well, the Pittsburgh-Tribune Review did ask them, and the team had some less-than-flattering things to say about last year's experience.
"Last year we didn't have, you know, a lot of leadership," junior running back Dustin Garrison said according to the Pittsburgh-Tribune Review.
Added junior offensive lineman Quinton Spain according to the paper: "What's different this year is we're more a team. There ain't no I's; we don't depend on nobody. We just depend on all of us at once as a team."
Smith, who rolled his ankle in the Jets preseason-opening 26-17 loss to the Detroit Lions Friday, expects to get some snaps in New York's second preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday. Smith is hoping to out-play Sanchez over the next three weeks and earn the Week 1 start.
Smith didn't speak with the media regarding the criticisms, according to reports.
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