They say they’re everything. They can make or break your interview, lead to you marrying your person in this world (trust me on that one), or kill your credibility with fans. The third one applies to Aaron Glenn as he enters year one as Jets head coach, and while it helps to have been a well liked player, so far I’d say he’s making a good one as coach.

Through just about a week of training camp, the vibe and energy around the New York Jets couldn’t be any better. Those vibes started with Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner signing long term extension shortly before camp started. Those deals take the pair from star players to franchise players, and both seem adamant about becoming leaders. Both shared that a big reason why they signed on preseason was already solid belief in the new regime, particularly head coach Aaron Glenn. These were tone setting signings, helping to establish maximum buy in to what the coach was selling before he gets to work. What he’s selling is playing the right way and getting the DETAILS right.

Now let me start by seeing that I am sharing the clip above, not because I think Aaron Glenn is Vince Lombardi. I share it because it is the kind of detail oriented approach it takes to win in the NFL. The play Lombardi is diagraming is the legendary Green Bay sweep, which the Packers ran seamlessly on route to winning three straight NFL Titles. This play was Lombardi’s baby and he would famously spend hours on it in the coaching seminar he ran. The little things add up in this game, and that is the whole point behind attacking preparation in this manner. Also nothing gets me more fired up than “a seal here, a seal here, and run it…UP THE alley!”

To this point Aaron Glenn’s first training camp has been all about the details within the game. He correctly diagnosed, and frankly I’d be concerned if he didn’t, that one of gang green’s biggest issues the last few years was the details. And that word is truly all encompassing for us here, as details pertains to penalties, practice habits and preparation.

Let’s start with penalties, which can be the most annoying aspect of your team’s game when not under control. “AG” decided to begin camp by having referee’s at practice on a daily basis. Why? Because for two years running the Jets have been the leagues most penalized squad, and while you can’t eliminate them, you can limit penalties if you practice correctly. As the adage goes, you play like you practice and by all accounts, the Jets practiced sloppily under Robert Saleh, so they played sloppily under him too. It’s refreshing if not anything else to see Glenn put real focus on this facet of the game.

The second prong of Glenn’s new approach has been how this team practices and prepares, not just for games but for the year as a whole. The Jets put pads on for the first time this weekend, faster than most squads, which is always hypes up a team. But not only did they put the pads on, they buckled the chin strap for 1 on 1 tackling drills which got very physical by all accounts. Not only do I love Glenn preaching physicality but I love the emphasis on being a sounder tackling outfit. The Jets, like many teams in the league, were a fundamentally unsound group the last few years and that manifested itself in the tackling department. Cleaning this up would go a long way taking an already athletic defense to new heights.

And don’t sell short the benefits of increasing the physical play. Glenn comes over from years in Detroit under Dan Campbell, where the Lions toughness was their calling card. It allowed them to push teams around and wear them down as a game went on, while also helping to make them a more durable team late in the season. All of that success and identity was born in training camp each year, and that is what AG is trying to breed here.

The intensity of practice is also manifesting itself in preparing with a sense of urgency, while holding guys accountable for how they approach the game. As Glenn said this week “we’re gonna put ourselves in position to do it…or we’re gonna do it,” which almost feels like a shot at Saleh’s approach of not working the team out at game speed. The players seem to be welcoming it, especially the veterans, who any first time coach needs on their side.

It’s undoubtedly difficult to replicate NFL game speed in practice but at least trying to work through it all like you’re doing it for real is a start. Wilson and other Jets clearly felt ill-prepared and from practice so their desire to improve has bred a healthy competition in camp. Going hand in hand with that competition is the accountability that Glenn is holding guys to in Florian Park. Robert Saleh came from the Aaron Boone school of coaching, offering pats on the back and empty words for mistakes. It led to him falling on deaf ears with his players and the veterans who are lookin to win appreciate Glenn’s opposite approach.

Yet another veteran complaining of the same issues from the past regime…at some point the truth sets everyone free. This is all a welcome change the Jets needed to make if they wanted to rebuild their culture as they rebuild their roster. It’s very reminiscent of what Bill Parcells did in the late 90’s and what Rex Ryan did when he took over in the 2000’s. It’s the necessary work to lay a foundation for success and it warms the heart of a football junkie like me.

Beyond the work Glenn is doing, camp is off to a good start for a number of players. Justin Fields, after avoiding an injury, looks sharp at QB in practice. Meanwhile rookies Armand Membou and Mason Taylor are making great first impressions at tackle and tight end respectively. Jermaine Johnson has the green light from the medical staff to get busy with the defense, and Glenn is having a blast coaching up the talented but raw Will McDonald, who looks poised to build on a strong 2024. Jermaine Sherwood and Quincy Williams are ready to lead this defense from the line backing core while Sauce keys the secondary. All of these ingredients make the Jets feel more hopeful than any of us expected thus far. Hope is dangerous in this “Jet-Life,” but hey, Ya Gotta Believe!

On twitter you can find Mike @Mike_Sheerin, Tyler @TMon_19 and Sean @SeanMartinNFL. Subscribe to the site by hitting the follow button in the bottom right corner and entering your email address. Check out our Instagram feed @thebroadwaybreakdownsports for special gameday and promotional content. Our podcasts are available on Spotify. Visit the Rangers Ed Shop by clicking the link on our homepage. Check out our mailbag page to join the conversation here on the site and on our partners show, The Rangers Ed Podcast! We’ll be back with more soon.